Self-organization of rod–coil tri- and tetra-arm star metallo-supramolecular block copolymers in selective solvents

Rod–coil tri- and tetra-arm star metallo-supramolecular block copolymers have been synthesized by bis-complex formation between a ω-terpyridine ruthenium(II) mono-complex poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and either a tris-terpyridine or a tetra-terpyridine functionalized conjugated rigid core. This leads to amphiphilic star copolymers in which the tris-terpyridine or the tetra-terpyridine rigid core can be considered as hydrophobic central block and the complexed PEG blocks as hydrophilic segments. The self-assembly of these two metallo-supramolecular star block copolymers has been investigated by dynamic and static light scattering as well as by cryo-transmission electron microscopy in acetone and acetone/water mixtures.