SELF-ASSEMBLY OF AN 11-COMPONENT CYLINDRICAL INORGANIC ARCHITECTURE -ELECTROSPRAY MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND THERMODYNAMIC STUDIES

Two hexaphenylhexaazatriphenylene L(1) and three quaterpyridine L(2) l igands are well-known to associate around six copper(I) ions to form a cylindrical inorganic cage 1. Spectrophotometric and electrospray mas s spectrometry (ESMS) titrations have been conducted to gain informati on on the thermodynamics and the formation pathway of the assembly 1. From these data, the nature of intermediates present in solution was d etermined and the association constants of these species were calculat ed. It was also found that this assembling process occurs with positiv e cooperativity.