Self-Assembly and Mechanochromism Behavior of Gold(I) Supramolecular Cluster
Yao Wu, Zi-Hao Jiang, Jin-Yu Lei, Ping Shang, Xuan‐Feng Jiang
Abstract
Aurophilicity interaction has played a crucial role in the controllable self-assembly of polynuclear clusters with high nuclear structures and tunable photoluminescence properties. We proposed a multi-component synergistic self-assembly strategy for the controlled synthesis of a hexadeca-nuclei gold(I) supramolecular cluster through spontaneous ligand substitution and conformation rearrangement driven by Au I ···Au I bonding interactions. In supramolecular cluster 1 2+ ·2BF 4 –, multi-components could be highly accurately aggregated together when thiolate-chloride/phosphine coordination exchange reactivity is partially activated by changing the stoichiometric ratio between digold(I) corners, dppmAu 2 Cl 2, and ditopic linkers, trithiocyanuric salt. Mass spectra confirmed the stepwise self-assembly mechanism in solution, which was also supported by crystallographic data. Supramolecular cluster 1 2+ ·2BF 4 – displayed intense emission properties either in the solid state or in solution. Moreover, cluster 1 2+ ·2BF 4 – exhibited a reversible mechanochromic luminescence behavior in the crystalline state and aggregation-caused blue-shifted emission in solution. Hence, emissive gold(I) cluster with strong aurophilicity interactions has great potential value in the fluorescence imaging for 3D printing hydrogels.