Tunable lanthanide-directed metallosupramolecular networks by exploiting coordinative flexibility through ligand stoichiometry

• Published in: Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) Vol. 52; no. 8; pp. 1618 - 1621
• Main Authors: Lyu, Guoqing, Zhang, Qiushi, Urgel, José I, Kuang, Guowen, Auwärter, Willi, Ecija, David, Barth, Johannes V, Lin, Nian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.01.2016
• Subjects: Architecture; Flexibility; Lanthanides; Lanthanoid Series Elements - chemistry; Ligands; Networks; Self assembly; Stoichiometry; Two dimensional
• ISSN: 1359-7345; 1364-548X
• DOI: 10.1039/c5cc08526h

We report the self-assembly of multi-component lanthanide coordination metallosupramolecular structures on a Au(111) surface. Eu atoms coordinate with two heterotypic ligands of quarterphenyl-4,4′′-dicarbonitrile and 4′,4′′′′-(1,4-phenylene)bis(2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine). For carbonitrile ligand : terpyridyl stoichiometric ratios of 0.7, Eu atoms are primarily ligated in a four-fold coordination scheme. By increasing the carbonitrile ligand to reach a stoichiometry of 1.8, Eu atoms are ligated now in a five-fold coordination sphere. Two types of coordination schemes result in structures exhibiting one-dimensional and two-dimensional morphologies, respectively. This study demonstrates that the flexible lanthanide coordination sphere facilitates the rational design of metallosupramolecular architectures. Eu forms 4-fold or 5-fold coordination structures with terpyridyl and carbonitrile ligands on the Au(111) surface depending on the ligand stoichiometry.