The effect of the linker size in C2-symmetrical chiral ligands on the self-assembly formation of luminescent triple-stranded di-metallic Eu(iii) helicates in solution

Kotova, O., Comby, S., Pandurangan, K., Stomeo, F., O'Brien, J. E., Feeney, M., Peacock, R. D., McCoy, C. P. and Gunnlaugsson, T. (2018) The effect of the linker size in C2-symmetrical chiral ligands on the self-assembly formation of luminescent triple-stranded di-metallic Eu(iii) helicates in solution. Dalton Transactions, 47(35), pp. 12308-12317. (doi: 10.1039/C8DT02753F) (PMID:30113616)

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Abstract

Chiral lanthanide-based supramolecular structures have gained significant importance in view of their application in imaging, sensing and other functional purposes. We have designed chiral C2-symmetrical ligands (L) based on the use of two 2,6-pyridine-dicarboxylic-amide moieties (pda), that differ from one another by the nature of the diamine spacer groups (from 1,3-phenylenedimethanamine (1(S,S), 2(R,R)) and benzene-1,3-diamine (3(S,S), 4(R,R)) to much bulkier 4,4′-(cyclohexane-1,1-diyl)bis(2,6-dimethylaniline) (5(S,S), 6(R,R))) between these two pda units. The self-assembly between L and Eu(III) ions were investigated in CH3CN solution at low concentration whereby the changes in the absorbance, fluorescence and Eu(III)-centred emission spectra allowed us to model the binding equilibria occurring in the solution to the presence of [Eu:L2], [Eu2:L2], [Eu2:L3] assemblies and reveal their high binding constant values. The self-assembly in solution were also studied at higher concentration by following the changes in the 1H NMR spectra of the ligands upon Eu(III) addition, as well as by using MALDI-MS of the isolated solid state complexes. The chiroptical properties of the ligands were used in order to study the structural changes upon self-assembly between the ligands and Eu(III) ions using circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarised luminescence (CPL) spectroscopies. The photophysical properties of [Eu2:L3] complexes were evaluated in solution and showed a decrease of luminescence quantum yield when going from the ligand with smaller (1(S,S)) to bulkier (5(S,S)) linker from ∼5.8% to ∼2.6%. While mass-spectrometry revealed the possible formation of trinucler assemblies such as [Eu3:L3] and [Eu3:L2].

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Peacock, Dr Robert
Authors: Kotova, O., Comby, S., Pandurangan, K., Stomeo, F., O'Brien, J. E., Feeney, M., Peacock, R. D., McCoy, C. P., and Gunnlaugsson, T.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry
Journal Name:Dalton Transactions
Publisher:Royal Society of Chemistry
ISSN:1477-9226
ISSN (Online):1477-9234
Published Online:09 August 2018
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society of Chemistry
First Published:First published in Dalton Transactions 47(35): 12308-12317
Publisher Policy:Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

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