A family of thienyl-bis-salophen Zn(II) complexes for enhancing photoconductance in hybrid materials including platinum ultra-small nanoparticles

Abstract

The design, synthesis and characterization of a series of thienyl-substituted bis-salophen ligands and their related dinuclear Zn(II) complexes are reported, as multifunctional platforms combining the presence of metal centers, multiple free coordinating sites and solubilizing groups. Some of these molecules have been successfully used to elaborate hybrid materials through self-assembly with ultra-small platinum nanoparticles. Interaction of the bis-salophen Zn(II) complexes with the nanoparticles, mediated by the thiophene coordinating moieties, led to a significant enhancement of the photoconductance properties.