Use of solvent to regulate the degree of polymerisation in weakly associated supramolecular oligomers

Using a tetrathiafulvalene functionalised calix[4]pyrrole (TTF-C[4]P; 1) and alkyl diester-linked bis-dinitrophenols (2–4), it was found that the solvent polarity and linker length have an effect on the molecular aggregation behaviour. 2D 1H NOESY, DOSY NMR and UV-vis-NIR spectroscopic studies, as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses support these conclusions.