Solid nanoarchitecture – Cu(ii) solution: dynamics of the chemical communication

Abstract

Molecular monolayers and similar nanoarchitectures represent a promising future of the nanotechnology. Many of these systems behave as stimuli responsive materials since they undergo readable changes upon external stimuli. Therefore, chemical communication between these systems and the surrounding environment is a field extremely important. In the present study we explored by optical read-out the chemical communication between a porphyrin monolayer covalently bound to a quartz substrate (hardware) and copper(II) ions (stimulus). Different physical states can be safely distinguished since the intensity of the Soret band (output) associated with a calculated distribution diagram provided the degree of porphyrin complexation and, therefore, of the state of the optically active system as a result of a solution mediated interfacial communication.