A route to hierarchical materials based on complexes of metallosupramolecular polyelectrolytes and amphiphiles

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Abstract
Anisotropic thin film materials of metallosupramolecular polyelectrolyte–amphiphile complexes (denoted PACs) with structures at several length scales were fabricated through a multistep self-assembly process. Metal ion-mediated self-assembly of the ditopic ligand 1,4-bis(2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine-4′-yl)benzene and electrostatic binding with the amphiphile dihexadecyl phosphate result in a PAC with tailored surface chemical properties, including solubility and surface activity. The PAC forms a stable monolayer at the air–water interface that is readily transferred and oriented on solid supports with the Langmuir–Blodgett technique. The presented strategy unifies colloid and metallosupramolecular chemistry and opens a versatile route to hierarchical materials with tailored structures and functions.