Corannulene-fused anion-responsive π-conjugated molecules that form self-assemblies with unique electronic properties.

The fusion of bowl-shaped π-conjugated corannulene units to anion-responsive π-conjugated dipyrrolyldiketone-boron complexes resulted in new molecular materials with a unique self-assembly capability. The bowl-fused receptor with aliphatic tails could form both supramolecular gels and mesophases through π-stacking interactions and also exhibited anion-responsive characteristics. The presence of the π-bowl unit not only afforded enhanced self-assembly capability both in solution and in the mesophases, as evidenced by gelation experiments and phase-transition profiles, but also enhanced intrinsic charge-carrier mobility.