Supramolecular self-assembly of water-soluble betaine derivatives of thiacalixarene with silver (I) and copper (II) ions

Supramolecular self-assembly of water-soluble p-tert-butylthiacalix[4]arene derivatives containing betaine fragments in cone and 1,3-alternate conformations in the presence of silver (I) and copper (II) nitrates were studied. The influence of macrocycle conformation on the size and shape of obtained associates was shown by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The obtained betaine derivatives of thiacalix[4]arene in cone conformation form spherical nanoparticles with silver nitrate, while the compounds in 1,3-alternate conformation forms branched structures. It was also shown that the compounds in 1,3-alternate conformation form large spherical dendrite structures with copper (II) nitrate.