News – The latest result of Pingshan Wang research group in School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Self-assembly of a Supramolecular Hexagram and a Supramolecular Pentagram, has been published in Nature Communications, a world-class top journal focusing on the latest progress in natural science field. It is the second time that Pingshan Wang research group has published its study in a world-class top journal since the first time in Journal of the American Chemical Society in 2016.
Self-assembly of a Supramolecular Hexagram and a Supramolecular Pentagram was published with Doctor Zhilong Jiang (grade 2012, organic chemistry major) as first author, Professor Pingshan Wang, Professor Xiaopeng Li and Professor Bingqian Xu as corresponding author and School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of Central South University as first communication unit. This study represents a breakthrough in self-assembly of supramolecular of terpyridyl, and is the first one published in Nature series with the first corresponding author from School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and the first communication unit as School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
In supramolecular chemistry, coordinate assembly between multicomponent ligand and metal ion may produce two-dimensional and three-dimensional supramolecular structures with varied structures and extra large molecular weight. However, the uncontrollability in the multicomponent coordinate assembly and the entropy effect in self-assembly yoke self-assembly of supramolecular, forming the largest challenge. For this reason, it is the key to reducing the unfavorable entropy effect in self-assembly of supramolecular structure of extra large terpyridyl to perform self-assembly of metal organic module based on the pre-set stable coordination between ruthenium ions and ligands. Judging from the current result, the modular method for self-assembly is the solution to building supramolecular structure of extra large terpyridyl.
The research team led by Professor Pingshan Wang cooperates with that by Professor Xiaopeng Li in University of South Florida and that by Professor Bingqian Xu in University of Georgia, creating the unique modular method for self-assembly and therewith assembling the discrete hexagram and pentagram supramolecular with the weight up to 21,069 Da. Not only the extra large rigid two-dimensional structure of such supramolecular can be proven with high resolution ESI-MS and ESI-TWIM-MS, but also the morphology and self-assembly rank of targeted supramolecular in supporting medium can be directly observed via high resolution AFM and STEM.
The modular method for self-assembly of supramolecular is a step forward from the step-by-step self-assembly of terpyridyl and is bound to play an important role in the structure study and development of terpyridyl-based functional materials.
Source: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
