Narcissistic self-sorting in anion-coordination-driven assemblies

Abstract

Three tris-bis(urea) ligands with triphenylamine-based C₃-symmetric spacers were synthesized, which assembled with sulfate or phosphate to form anionic A₃L₂ pinwheel helices (A = anion and L = ligand) and A₄L₄ tetrahedra, respectively. Interestingly, narcissistic self-sorting was observed in both structures from the mixture of the ligands, wherein each assembly contains only one type of ligand with no detectable mixed-ligand product as confirmed by the NMR and MS studies.