Time-resolved monitoring of dynamic self-assembly of Au(I)-thiolate coordination polymers

Research interest in dynamic assemblies of coordination polymers (CPs) has been rising in recent years for the similarity with life systems in their self-adaptable morphologies and properties. However, monitoring of the assembly process and elucidating the nature for the morphological transformation are very challenging. Here, UV-Vis spectroscopy has been explored as a time-resolved method for monitoring the self-assembly of Au(I)-thiolate CPs in situ. Both step-wise and synergetic effects of the weak interactions in Au(I)-3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) CPs, such as H-bonding, coordination bonding, Au(I)-Au(I) interactions and static interactions have been found from the spectral fingerprints, which elucidated the driving forces for the unique morphological transformations from strings to lamellar structures. This work represents a breakthrough in that dynamic self-assembly behaviours can be explained by molecular interactions from molecular level evidences. Based on the spectral fingerprint-structure relationship the reversible and dynamic assembly of Au(I)-MPA CPs can be easily probed.