New self-assembling nanomaterials: Development of nanowires based on the one-dimensional metal complexes

Abstract

The ability to manipulate nano to microscopic superstructures based on molecular self-assembly holds a key to develop future nanomaterials. In this review, the design and synthesis of self-assembling inorganic nanowires are introduced. First, lipophilic nanowires consisting of cationic, one-dimensional mixed valence PtII/RIV complex and anionic lipids are developed. They display thermal dissociation and re-assembling characteristics and provide the first example of self-assembling conjugated nanowires. It also enables bottom-up manipulation of stereo-nanoarchitectures on solid surfaces. Second, heat-set gel-like networks are self-assembled from lipophilic Co (II) triazole complex in chloroform. It affords blue gel at room temperature, whose color is characteristic of the tetrahedral (Td) coordination structure. Upon cooling, the gel is dissolved into pale pink solution (O h complex) and this change was thermally reversible. The reversible, heat-set gelation of organic liquids has been unprecedented. These new approaches and findings provide new dimensions in the fields of nano- and materials chemistry.