Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide Metal Complexes Self-Assembled in Nanofibers: Implications for Bimetallic Catalytic Nanomaterials

Multicomponent supramolecular self-assembled systems can potentially harness the properties of multiple systems simultaneously. However, creating multicomponent supramolecular nanostructures with narrow size distributions is challenging due to the dynamic nature of noncovalent interactions. In this article, we report the coassembly of a tris-Ni(II)-salphen and a tris-Cu(II)-salphen complex. Co-assembly of the complexes afforded nanofibers with low dispersity, with the metal complexes homogeneously distributed throughout the nanofibers. The length of the nanofibers could also be tuned by varying the ratio of the metal complexes. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the dimerization of the copper(II) complex is unfavorable, unlike the dimerization of the nickel(II) complex. Co-assembly with the copper(II) complex inhibits the self-assembly of the nickel(II) complex, enabling length control of the bimetallic nanofibers. These results could pave the way for designing multicomponent supramolecular systems with applications in catalysis and magnetic devices.