Reversible supramolecular functionalization of surfaces: terpyridine ligands as versatile building blocks for noncovalent architectures

The authors report on the reversible and selective functionalization of surfaces by using supramol. building blocks. The reversible formation of bis-terpyridine complexes, based on a terpyridine ligand-functionalized monolayer, was used as a versatile supramol. binding motif. Thereby, click chem. was applied to covalently bind an acetylene functionalized Fe(II) bis-terpyridine complex onto azide-terminated self-assembled monolayers. By decomplexation of the formed supramol. complex, the ligand modified monolayer could be obtained. These monolayers were subsequently used for addnl. complexation reactions, resulting in the reversible functionalization of the substrates. The proper choice of the coordinating transition metal ions allows the tuning of the binding strength, as well as the physicochem. properties of the formed complexes and thus an engineering of the surface properties. [on SciFinder (R)]