Synthesis, characterization, and micellization studies of coil‐rod‐coil and ABA ruthenium(II) terpyridine assemblies with π‐conjugated electron acceptor systems

Abstract A series of Ru II heterodinuclear complexes of ABA ‐type with electron‐deficient bis ‐terpyridines as building blocks was synthesized by ( R ‐tpy)Ru III Cl 3 complexation. These compounds were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, MALDI‐TOF, ESI‐TOF mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The results were compared with a coil‐rod‐coil Ru II metallo‐supramolecular copolymer, which was synthesized by bis ‐complex formation between a hydrophilic ω‐terpyridine poly(ethylene glycol) Ru II mono ‐complex and a hydrophobic bis ‐terpyridine‐functionalized rigid core. This amphiphilic Ru II triblock copolymer showed self‐assembly to clusters and micelles in aqueous solution, which was studied by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Applying velocity sedimentation experiments the number of amphiphilic Ru II ABA triblock copolymer molecules within the micelles could be estimated. Finally, the photophysical properties of the Ru II supramolecular assemblies were investigated by UV–vis spectroscopy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011