HYBRID ORGANIC-INORGANIC SUPRAMOLECULAR ASSEMBLIES MADE FROM BUTYLTINOXO-HYDROXO NANOBUILDING BLOCKS AND DICARBOXYLATES

The reaction between the cluster {(BUSn)(12)O-14(OH)(6)}(2+)(OH-)(2) a nd a carboxylic acid at RCOOH/cluster ratios less than or equal to 2 l eads only to the replacement of the hydroxyl counter-ions by carboxyla te groups. In the new species, {(BuSn)(12)O-14(OH)(6)}(2+)(RCOO(-))(2) , the carboxylate groups interact with the capping hydroxo groups (mu( 2)-OH) of the macrocations through a network of hydrogen bonds. For hi gher RCOOH/cluster ratios (> 2), the {(BUSn)(12)O-14(OH)(6)}(2+) macro cations are cleaved and the reaction yields a drum-shaped cluster of f ormula [BuSn(O)O2CCH3](6). The use of bifunctional acids, such as adip ic, dodecanedioic or terephthalic acids, at an appropriate ratio (carb oxylate/cluster = 2) allows the formation of new hybrid organic-inorga nic supramolecular assemblies made from{(BuSn)(12)O-14(OH)(6)}(2+) nan obuilding blocks bridged by dicarboxylate anions.