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Updated: Aug 23, 2025

Synthesis of a Water-soluble Metal–Organic Complex Array
Published on: October 8, 2016
Multiple molecular logic gate arrays in one system of (2-(2'-pyridyl)imidazole)Ru(ii) complexes and trimeric
Chao-Yi Yao1, Hong-Yu Lin1, Philip Morgenfurt2
1School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast BT9 5AG UK a.desilva@qub.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Shape-switchable cyclophane hosts allow the controlled capture and release of reactive polypyridineRu(ii) complexes in water. This gives rise to a network of host-guest binding, acid-base reactions in ground and excited states, and chemical redox interconversions. In the case of (2-(2'-pyridyl)imidazole)Ru(ii) complexes, several molecular logic gate arrays of varying complexity emerge as a result. Cyclophane-induced 'off-on' switching of luminescence in neutral solution is found to originate from two features of these aromatic hosts: enhancement of radiative decay by the polarizable host and the suppression of nonradiative decay involving deprotonation by reducing the water content within the deep host cavity. These are examples of nanometric coordination chemistry/physics being controlled by inclusion in an open box. The aromatic units of the macrocycle are also responsible for the shape-switching mechanism of wall collapse/erection.
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