Supramolecular assembly of amphiphilic platinum() Schiff base complexes: diverse spectroscopic changes and nanostructures through rational molecular design and solvent control

A new class of amphiphilic tetradentate platinum( ii ) Schiff base complexes has been designed and synthesized. The self-assembly properties by exploiting the potential Pt Pt interactions of amphiphilic platinum( ii ) Schiff base complexes in the solution state have been systematically investigated. The presence of Pt Pt interactions has further been supported by computational studies and non-covalent interaction (NCI) analysis of the dimer of the complex. The extent of the non-covalent Pt Pt and π-π interactions could be regulated by a variation of the solvent compositions and the hydrophobicity of the complexes, which is accompanied by attractive spectroscopic and luminescence changes and leads to diverse morphological transformations. The present work represents a rare example of demonstration of directed cooperative assembly of amphiphilic platinum( ii ) Schiff base complexes by intermolecular Pt Pt interactions in solution with an in-depth mechanistic investigation, providing guiding principles for the construction of supramolecular structures with desirable properties using platinum( ii ) Schiff base building blocks. Amphiphilic platinum( ii ) Schiff base complexes self-assemble into highly ordered diverse nanostructures via directed cooperative assembly. The formation of Pt Pt interactions has been supported by NCI analysis.