Redox-active, luminescent coordination nanosheet capsules containing magnetite

Two-dimensional coordination nanosheets (CON ASHs) are grown at the spherical liquid-liquid interface of a dichloromethane droplet in water to form zero-dimensional nano- and micro-capsules using a simple dropping method, a syringe-pump method, and an emulsion method. Reaction of 1,3,5-tris[4-(4'-2,2':6',2 ''-terpyridyl)phenyl]benzene (1) with Fe(BF4)(2) affords electrochromic Fe(tpy)(2) CONASH capsules and that of ligand 1 with ZnSO4 does photoluminescent Zn-2(mu-O2SO2)(2)(tpy)(2) CON ASH capsules. Fe(tpy) 2 CON ASH capsules containing magnetite particles were produced by the syringe-pump method by adding magnetite to the aqueous phase, with the assembly and dispersion of the magnetite-containing CON ASH capsules being easily controlled with a magnet. This indicates that physicochemically functional CON ASH capsules are suitable for incorporating other functional materials to develop hybrid systems.