The synthesis and near-infrared photothermal conversion of organometallic interdigitated complex and “U” type macrocycles

Herein, one interdigitated molecular and two metallarectangles were realized successfully using two rigid bidentate ligands ( L1 , L2 ) and two building blocks ( E1 , E2 ) via coordination-driven self-assembly strategy. Interestingly, a novel interdigitated structure has been successfully formed through triple π-π stacking interactions, different from the previously reported interlocked [2]catenanes. Based on the π-π stacking interaction, nonradiative transitions were promoted and obvious photothermal transitions effect was triggered in solution and solid states. In addition, it is found that the interdigitated structure has a decent photothermal conversion efficiency of about 12% in solution state. This study provides open up new ideas for our future development of near-infrared photothermal conversion materials. A series of discrete metallarectangles and an interdigitated molecule were synthesized by coordination-driven self-assembly. These topologies were unambiguously confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, IR spectroscopy as well as X-ray crystallography. In addition, triple π-π stacking interactions were found in the interdigitated structure, which results in the capability of photothermal conversion. • One interdigitated molecular and two metallarectangles were realized successfully using two rigid bidentate ligands and two building blocks via coordination-driven self-assembly strategy. • The interdigitated structure was constructed through triple π-π stacking interactions, different from the previously reported interlocked [2]catenanes, which result in nonradiative transitions and trigger photothermal conversion in both the solution and the solid states. • The photothermal conversion study exhibits a good photothermal conversion efficiency (12%) for the interdigitated structure at 660 ​nm in the solution state. This study provides open up new ideas for our future development of near-infrared photothermal conversion materials.