Metal-cation-mediated nanocrystal arrays of sandwich-type (phthalocyaninato) [tetrakis(4-pyridyl)porphyrinato] cerium complex formed at the water–chloroform interface

Regular square, wirelike, quadrate, and rodlike nanocrystal arrays of Cd2+, Hg2+, or Ag+ metal-cation-mediated sandwich-type mixed (phthalocyaninato) [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)poprhyrinato] cerium(III) double-decker complex Ce(Pc)(TPyP) have been successfully prepared at the water–chloroform interface. The nanocrystal growth processes were monitored by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which reveals that different morphologies of nanocrystals have been fabricated from double-decker molecules connected by different kinds of metal cations, forming coordination polymers. These nanoscaled coordination polymers were characterized by FT-IR spectra and energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS). EDS results clearly revealed the elements of the nanocrystals and the FT-IR spectra give evidence for the coordination interaction between the double-decker molecules and metal cations. The UV–vis absorption spectrum indicates the formation of J-aggregates of the double-decker molecules in the nanocrystals formed.

Graphical abstractDifferent morphologies of nanocrystals have been fabricated from double-decker molecules connected by different kinds of metal cations as connectors, forming coordination polymers.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide