Silver Coordination Complexes as Room-Temperature Multifunctional Materials

A series of bischelate ionic silver complexes [Ag(L*)2][X] was prepared by complexation of a newly synthesized 2,2′‐bipyridine containing chiral alkoxy chains in the 4,4′ positions. The appropriate choice of the construction motifs allows the preparation of new materials in which several functionalities can be introduced. Indeed, when the anion X− is a triflate or a dodecylsulfate group, the right combination of intermolecular interactions promotes the production of liquid crystalline mesophases. Therefore, the presence of coordinating anions, which drives the supramolecular assembly, is essential to generate, at the same time, room‐temperature columnar hexagonal mesomorphism, the columnar helical supramolecular structure, and excimeric emission. The appropriate choice of the construction motifs for a series of bischelate ionic silver complexes [Ag(L*)2][X] allows the construction of new materials in which several functionalities can be introduced, such as room‐temperature columnar hexagonal mesomorphism, columnar helical supramolecular structure, and excimeric emission (see picture).