Chemically controlled self-assembly behaviors of dibenzo-24-crown-8 bearing ammonium salt moiety

A novel [c2] daisy chain was successfully constructed by the hermaphroditic monomer of dibenzo[24]-crown-8 (DB24C8) derivative bearing secondary ammonium salt (1) from the analysis of the solution-phase behavior of parent monomers and single-crystal X-ray analysis. 1 H NMR spectroscopy was employed to show that the crown ether moiety and the secondary ammonium salt unit underwent acid–base and alkali metal cation dependent switches. The complexation behavior of this hermaphroditic monomer in the solution was further demonstrated to exhibit the controlled photophysical behavior as a reversible luminescent switch in the presence of acids or bases. Solid morphology was determined by SEM.