Supramolecular sequential assembly of polymer thin films based on dimeric, dendrimeric, and polymeric Schiff-base ligands and metal ions.

New metal-Schiff-base coordination polymer films were prepared using multiple sequential adsorption of metal ions and salen-based ligand molecules. As the ligands, bis-bidentate 5,5'-methylene-bis(N-methylsalicylidenamine) (MBSA), tetra-bidentate N,N',N' ',N' ''-tetrasalicylidene-polyamidoamine (TSPA), and multi-bidentate poly(N-salicylidenevinylamine) (PSVA) were used. The metal ions were Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(II), Fe(III), and Ce(IV).