Adaptation and Optical Signal Generation in a Constitutional Dynamic Network

The evolution of a dynamic network of metal complexes, induced by reciprocal ligand component selection and sorting of metal ions, involving the formation of a specific constituent is reported. During the evolution its presence was signaled by an optical output due to the formation of charge-transfer complexes. The system designed was based on two functionalized morphological switches, both activated by metal ion complexation. It was also found that one of them displayed an optical response through guest binding, depending on the nature of metal ion, while other derived the evolution of the system by reversible condensation with a given dia-diamine towards the formation of a macrocycle presenting a strong preference for binding a specific metal ion. The study demonstrated that the constituents of a constitutionally dynamic network could be up-or down-regulated by an effector and switched between two different constitutional states by specific effectors.