Supramolecular self-assembly of amphiphilic anionic platinum(II) complexes: a correlation between spectroscopic and morphological properties.

A new class of amphiphilic anionic platinum(II) bzimpy complexes has been demonstrated to show aggregation in water through Pt···Pt and π-π stacking interactions. An interesting aggregation-partial deaggregation-aggregation process and a morphological transformation from vesicles to nanofibers have been demonstrated. These changes can be systematically controlled by the variation of solvent composition and could readily be probed by UV-vis absorption, emission, NMR, transmission electron microscopy, and even with our naked eyes.