ChemPhysChem, 22, 2020, 178-183
A series of mono‐, di‐, and tri‐topic receptors, in which H‐bonding sites, complementary to those of barbituric acid (BA), are fused, is used to induce the supramolecular assembly of n x m ladders containing 1, 2, or 3 triphenylenevinylene units appended with BA. The topological constraint enforced by the architectures induces through‐space interactions between the electroactive moieties that are reflected in the electronic absorption and emission spectrum. The n =2, m =2 or m =3 architectures undergo two single electron oxidation events indicative of the formation of the corresponding mono‐ and di‐radical cation species with comproportionation constants of 340 and 70, respectively. Comparison of the electrochemical potentials suggests that the charges are delocalized over the electroactive units in the assembly.
