Objectives

The main objective of this project is to realize and characterize self-assembled bidimensional supramolecular structures (SBSS), and also to modify their architecture in a controlled manner in order to optimize the photosensibility and/or the molecular recognition capability.

Specific objectives:

O1 Gold layers deposition on mica and controlled growth of gold nanoparticles. The design and synthesis of thiophene-phenothiazine podands and corands.

O2 Structural and physico-chemical characterization of gold nanoparticles and layers for thiophene-phenothiazine podands and corands.

O3 Obtaining SBSS with a high organization level, using complex organic molecules from podands and corands family, and to characterize them structurally and physico-chemically.

O4 Controlled modification of SBSS, in order to induce and to optimize the photosensibility and molecular recognition properties.

O5 Research infrastructure development by acquiring new high performance research equipment.

O6 Results dissemination

The problems to be solved are:

To find out the optimum parameters for gold (111) layers deposited on mica surface and for the controlled growth of gold nanoparticles;
To establish the molecular architecture and the synthesis methods of podands and corands with thiophene and phenothiazine, and also the most advantageous methods for their complexation with several functional groups;
Theoretical modelling of molecular structures and evaluation of changes induced by functional groups attached at different positions;
To induce selective functionality to supramolecular structures obtained by attaching appropriate functional groups;
To induce selective functionality to supramolecular structures obtained by attaching appropriate functional groups
To investigate and characterize the supramolecular interactions involved in the design and synthesis of new supramolecular arhitectures of guest-host type;
To prepare self-assembled bidimensional supramolecular structures on gold surfaces, and/or gold nanoparticles respectively;
To find out the physico-chemical, morphological and structural properties of thin gold layers, gold nanoparticles, podands and corands with phenothiazine and thiophene, and of the obtained SBSS as well;
To characterize the effects induced by functional groups attached to monomers molecular structure by means of spectrometric methods (RMN, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-FTIR, mass spectrometry;
To transform the SBSS by chemical procedures (complexation-decomplexation, oxygenation-reduction), and by irradiation (photochemical izomerizations);
To establish the correlations between synthesis and self-assembled characteristic parameters and the properties of the built supramolecular structures;
To achieve and test the lab methods for obtaining SBSS.

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