Cation-induced self-assembly of an amphiphilic perylene diimide derivative in solution and Langmuir–Blodgett films

Abstract A novel amphiphilic perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PDI) derivative, N-(4′-benzo-15-crown-5-ether)-N-hexyl-1,7-di(4-tert-butyl-phenoxy)perylen-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic diimide (15C5PDI), has been synthesized and characterized. Dimerization of 15C5PDI is induced in CHCl 3 solution with the present of K + , resulting in the formation of the slipped co-facial J -aggregates, as revealed by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies. Analysis of the surface pressure–area ( π – A ) isotherms and spectral change for the monolayer formed at the air/water interface, disclosed that 15C5PDI molecules adopted the H -type aggregation mode with a face-to-face configuration and edge-on orientati…