Pillar[5]arene based supramolecular polymer for a singlet oxygen reservoir

A new diphenylanthracene derivative (bis(5-cyanopentyl) 4,4 '-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)dibenzoate) has been designed and synthesized, which can form a host-guest complex with a novel pillar[5]arene dimer. Their strong host-guest interaction was proved by nuclear magnetic resonance spectra. Based on the host-guest interaction, the host-guest complex can aggregate into a supramolecular polymer network. As a result, the prepared supramolecular polymers can capture the singlet oxygen (O-1(2)) generated by tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin under laser irradiation, and could then carry out O-1(2) release under heating. Therefore, in this paper for the first time we used the supramolecular polymers constructed through noncovalent bonding as O-1(2) reservoirs to carry out the storage and controlled release of O-1(2). This new strategy will make it easier to provide more functional units with superior abilities of O-1(2) storage and controlled release into organic functional materials.