Giant Concentric Metallosupramolecule with Aggregation-Induced Phosphorescent Emission

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Fluorescent metallosupramolecules are well-studied for their tunable properties.
• Phosphorescent analogues are rare, limited to small structures, and typically require low temperatures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the self-assembly of a giant, discrete metallosupramolecular concentric hexagon.
• To investigate its photophysical properties, including room-temperature phosphorescence and gas sensing capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Self-assembly of terpyridine-based ligands with platinum(II) bzimpy moieties.
• Characterization of the supramolecular structure (size > 10 nm, MW > 26,000 Da).
• Photophysical studies, including emission spectroscopy and aggregation effects.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis and self-assembly of a giant (>10 nm) metallosupramolecular hexagon.
• Observation of room-temperature phosphorescence, a rare property for such large structures.
• Enhanced aggregation-induced phosphorescent emission compared to the ligand.
• Significant enhancement of phosphorescent emission in response to CO2 gas.

Conclusions:

• Giant metallosupramolecular structures can exhibit room-temperature phosphorescence.
• Intermolecular interactions in supramolecular assemblies can tune phosphorescent properties.
• The developed supramolecule shows potential for CO2 gas sensing applications.