Supramolecular Ruthenium–Alkynyl Multicomponent Architectures: Engineering, Photophysical Properties, and Responsiveness to Nitroaromatics

A series of H-bonded
supramolecular architectures were built from
monofunctional M–CC–R and bifunctional R–CC–M–CC–R trans-alkynylbis­(1,2-bis­(diphenylphosphino)­ethane)­ruthenium­(II)
complexes and π-conjugated modules containing 2,5-dialkoxy-p-phenylene. Incorporation on each partner of a cyanuric
end and of the complementary Hamilton receptor provided the necessary
means to keep the constituents together via strong hydrogen bonding.
Characterization of all architectures has been performed on the basis
of NMR and photophysical methods. In particular, the formation of
a Hamilton receptor/cyanuric acid complex has been exemplified by
an X-ray single-crystal structure determination. Both self-assembly
and accurate modification of the complementary blocks were ensured
in such a way that the resulting materials maintain the responsiveness
of the electron-rich 2,5-dialkoxy-p-phenylene spacers
toward nitroaromatics.