Cooperative thermodynamic control of selectivity in the self-assembly of rare earth metal-ligand helices.

Metal-selective self-assembly with rare-earth cations is possible with suitable rigid, symmetrical bis-tridentate ligands. Kinetically controlled formation is initially observed, with smaller cations preferentially incorporated. Over time, the more thermodynamically favorable complexes with larger metals are formed. This thermodynamic control is a cooperative supramolecular phenomenon and only occurs upon multiple-metal-based self-assembly: single-metal ML3 analogues do not show reversible selectivity. The selectivity is dependent on small variations in lanthanide ionic radius and occurs despite identical coordination-ligand coordination geometries and minor size differences in the rare-earth metals.