Metallacycle-Cored Supramolecular Polymers: Fluorescence Tuning by Variation of Substituents

Herein, we present a method for the preparation of supramolecular polymers with tunable fluorescence via the combination of metal-ligand coordination and phenanthrene-21-crown-7 (P21C7)-based host guest interactions. A suite of rhomboidal metallacycles with different substituents were prepared via the coordination-driven self-assembly of a P21C7-based 60 degrees diplatinum(II) acceptor and 120 degrees dipyridyl donors. Upon variation of the substituents on the dipyridyl donors, the metallacycles exhibit emission wavelengths spanning the visible region (lambda(max) = 427-593 nm). Metallacycle-cored supramolecular polymers were obtained via host guest interactions between bis-ammonium salts and P21C7. The supramolecular polymers exhibit emission wavelengths similar to those of the individual metallacycles and higher fluorescent efficiency in solution and thin films. Utilizing a yellow-emitting supramolecular polymer thin film with high quantum yield (0.22), a white-light-emitting LED was fabricated by painting the thin film onto an ultraviolet LED. This study presents an efficient approach for tuning the properties of fluorescent supramolecular polymers and the potential of the metallacycle-cored supramolecular polymers as a platform for the fabrication of light-emitting materials with good processability and tunability.