Topological effect on fluorescence emission of tetraphenylethylene-based metallacages

Herein, we describe the selective formation of a barrel-shaped or a ball-shaped fluorescent metallacage by controlling the shape and stoichiometry of the building blocks. Specifically, the tetraphenylethylene-based donor and two acceptors with different numbers of Pt(II) centers were combined via coordination -driven self-assembly. Owing to the differences in the shapes of the assemblies, the resultant ball-shaped metallacage displayed stronger and blue-shifted fluorescence compared to the barrel-shaped one in dilute solutions, while a reversal of fluorescence intensities was observed in the aggregation process. Overall, this work demonstrates that the photophysical properties of supramolecular coordination complexes can be affected by subtle geometrical factors, which can be controlled precisely at the molecular level.(c) 2023 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Automated summary

A selective formation of a barrel-shaped or a ball-shaped fluorescent metallacage was achieved by controlling the shape and stoichiometry of the building blocks. The ball-shaped metallacage exhibited stronger and blue-shifted fluorescence compared to the barrel-shaped one in dilute solutions, while a reversal of fluorescence intensities was observed in the aggregation process. This work demonstrates the impact of subtle geometrical factors on the photophysical properties of supramolecular coordination complexes.