Controlled Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Uniform Nanostructures from Trimetallic Complexes

The self-assembly of a tris-salphen complex afforded
supramolecular
nanofibers with a narrow length distribution. Nanofiber lengths could
be easily tuned with the self-assembly conditions while maintaining
low dispersity. The crystal structure of the complex and density functional
theory (DFT) calculations suggested the presence of a metastable aggregate
which reorients on heating to afford longer supramolecular nanofibers.
The surprising, controlled molecular assembly of these complexes may
pave the way to well-defined nanostructures for catalysis, electronics,
and optical applications.