Cooperative nanoparticle H-type self-assembly of a bolaamphiphilic BODIPY derivative in aqueous medium

A new amide-containing bolaamphiphilic BODIPY dye has been synthesized and fully characterized. The self-assembly studies in water reveal a highly cooperative self-aggregation mechanism and the formation of micelles, driven by π-π interactions, amide-based hydrogen bonds and the hydrophobic effect. A further agglomeration of individual micelles to spherical nanoparticles is induced by CH-O interactions between the ambient hydrophilic oligoethyleneglycol chains.221