Reversible Solubilization and Precipitation of Carbon Nanotubes through Oxidation-Reduction Reactions of a Solubilizing Agent

Complex control of solubility: Single‐walled nanotubes (SWNTs) can be dissolved in organic solvents by formation of a complex with a 2,2′‐bipyridine derivative and Cu through mechanochemical high‐speed vibration milling. The conformational change of the CuI/CuII complexes resulting from chemical oxidation–reduction reactions induces different solubilities of the SWNTs because of differences in the π–π stacking interactions.