Photothermal Möbius aromatic metallapentalenofuran and its NIR-responsive copolymer

Mobius aromatics are very interesting and rare complexes owing to their brand-new chemistry and interesting properties. In this work, metallapentalenofurans with thiophene groups were easily prepared from the reaction of metallapentalyne, terminal arylalkynes, and water in air. The metallapentalenofuran containing a terthiophene moiety showed a good photothermal effect and was the first photothermal Mobius aromatic complex induced by J-aggregates. This photothermal metallapentalenofuran was chemically modified to carry an olefinic group and then was co-polymerized with oligo-(ethylene glycol)methacrylate to afford a thermoresponsive copolymer, whose phase transition behavior can be triggered by near-infrared radiation at 808 nm. This near-infrared-responsive metal-containing copolymer represents a new stimuli-responsive macromolecule.