Controlling and imaging biomimetic self-assembly

• Published in: Nature chemistry 2016-01, Vol.8 (1), p.10-15
• Main Authors: Aliprandi, Alessandro, Mauro, Matteo, De Cola, Luisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/638; 639/638/541/966; Analytical Chemistry; Biochemistry; Biomimetics; Biomimetics - methods; Chemistry; Chemistry/Food Science; Inorganic Chemistry; Microscopy, Confocal; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Molecular Structure; Nanostructures - chemistry; Nanostructures - ultrastructure; Organic Chemistry; Organoplatinum Compounds - chemical synthesis; Organoplatinum Compounds - chemistry; Photochemicals; Photochemistry - methods; Physical Chemistry; Solvents - chemistry; Thermodynamics
• ISSN: 1755-4330; 1755-4349
• DOI: 10.1038/nchem.2383

The self-assembly of chemical entities represents a very attractive way to create a large variety of ordered functional structures and complex matter. Although much effort has been devoted to the preparation of supramolecular nanostructures based on different chemical building blocks, an understanding of the mechanisms at play and the ability to monitor assembly processes and, in turn, control them are often elusive, which precludes a deep and comprehensive control of the final structures. Here the complex supramolecular landscape of a platinum (II) compound is characterized fully and controlled successfully through a combination of supramolecular and photochemical approaches. The supramolecular assemblies comprise two kinetic assemblies and their thermodynamic counterpart. The monitoring of the different emission properties of the aggregates, used as a fingerprint for each species, allows the real-time visualization of the evolving self-assemblies. The control of multiple supramolecular pathways will help the design of complex systems in and out of their thermodynamic equilibrium. The self-assembly of building blocks is an enticing route towards functional materials, yet understanding and controlling the mechanisms at play has remained challenging. Now the different morphologies and emission colours of the aggregates of a platinum( II ) compound has enabled its assembly pathways into different structures to be controlled and visualized in real time.