Mimicking [2,2]Paracyclophane Topology: Molecular Clips for the Coordination-Driven Cofacial Assembly of π-Conjugated Systems

Self-assembly of CuI dimers, featuring a bridging phosphole ligand, and ditopic cyano-substituted chromophores affords nanosize supramolecular cationic rectangles. Due to the short Cu−Cu distance in the bimetallic clips, the coordinated chromophores are forced to participate in cofacial π−π interactions as evidenced by X-ray data. In addition, intermolecular π−π interactions in the solid state are observed leading to infinite columns of π-stacked (para-phenylenevinylene)-based chromophores.