Issue 4, 2014

Subcomponent self-assembly of polymer chains based on dynamic and geometrical coordination diversity of the first row transition metal ions

Abstract

The subcomponent self-assembly of polymer chains based on the dynamic/geometrical coordination diversity of first row transition metal ions is reported. A well-defined NH2-functional hydrophilic block copolymer, Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) and a salicylaldehyde derivative are selected as subcomponents. The imine formation and self-assembly are followed using 1H NMR, DLS, GPC, and UV-vis spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the subcomponent self-assembly strongly depends on the coordination stability constants and geometries of these metal ions. Ni(II) induces interchain coordination, and rapid phase transition to macro-phase separation but with the lowest autocatalysis efficiency. However, Cu(II) ions induce intrachain coordination with the most remarkable autocatalysis, and the delaying of the phase transition to form well-defined hybrid nanoparticles. The behaviour with Zn(II) ions is in between that with Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions. This striking differentiation demonstrates that the dynamic/geometrical coordination diversity of the abundant first row transition metal ions effectively control the subcomponent self-assembly of polymer chains, and thus the hierarchical nanostructures of dative metal–polymer hybrid functional materials.

Graphical abstract: Subcomponent self-assembly of polymer chains based on dynamic and geometrical coordination diversity of the first row transition metal ions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Aug 2013
Accepted
28 Sep 2013
First published
09 Oct 2013

Polym. Chem., 2014,5, 1202-1209

Subcomponent self-assembly of polymer chains based on dynamic and geometrical coordination diversity of the first row transition metal ions

X. Wu, N. Xu, Z. Zhu, Y. Cai, Y. Zhao and D. Wang, Polym. Chem., 2014, 5, 1202 DOI: 10.1039/C3PY01111A

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