Synthesis of hexazincporphyrin and hexaamine substituted Ru(bipy)3 complexes for alternate self-assembly by tritopic coordinations

Syntheses of Ru(4,4′-zincporphynyl-bipyridine)3 (1) and Ru(4,4′-aminomethyl-bipyridine)3 (2) complexes are reported. The two octahedral complexes interact strongly each other by tritopic coordination of three amino groups to three zincporphyrin moieties. The remaining three amino groups and three zincporphyrin moieties can be used for further intermolecular organization to give linear 2 : 1, 1 : 1 and 1 : 2 complexes of 1 and 2, depending on their relative molar ratios.