Controllable growth of 0d to multidimensional nanostructures of a novel porphyrin molecule

A procedure for controlling the self-assembly of a new porphyrin derivative to produce varied nanostructures with tubable dimensions 0D to 1D and 2D was reported. It was observed that the controlled growth was depended on selecting novel porphyrin molecules in which two carbazole groups linked on the three porphyrin units, forming typical u-shaped ordered arrays. Suzuki coupling reaction was carried out with 1-bromo-2-nitrobenzene using a stable Pd ^II(OAc)₂ complex in combination with four equivalents of triphenylphosphine ligands. SEM and TEM images were carried out to record the growth process and confirm that the molecules were able to self-assemble into 0D vesicles and then continually grew into 1D and 2D nanostructures. The progressive growth can be used to develop a research model to study the growth in Nature.