Supramolecular sequential assembly of polymer thin films based on dimeric, dendrimeric, and polymeric Schiff-base ligands and metal ions.

New metal-Schiff-base coordination polymer films were prepared using multiple sequential adsorption of metal ions and salen-based ligand molecules. As the ligands, bis-bidentate 5,5'-methylene-bis(N-methylsalicylidenamine) (MBSA), tetra-bidentate N,N',N' ',N' ''-tetrasalicylidene-polyamidoamine (TSPA), and multi-bidentate poly(N-salicylidenevinylamine) (PSVA) were used. The metal ions were Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), and Ce(IV). The resulting films are deeply colored due to the formation of coordinative bonds between the metal ions and the salen groups. Our study indicates that film formation becomes progressively easier, if the number of salen groups per ligand molecule increases. While Cu(II), Ni(II), Fe, and Ce(IV) are well suited for complex formation, Zn(II) is less suited. Possible structures of the polymers are discussed. Cyclic voltammetric studies of the films are also presented.