Synthesis of side-chain functionalised ligands for the generation of quartet receptor arrays via self-assembly of [2×2] grid complexes

The decoration of bishydrazone compounds of types 2 and 3 by attachment of various side chains, in particular of biological nature, yields a set of functionalised ligands. Their self-assembly with zinc(II) and cobalt(II) ions into [2×2] grids provides an approach towards nanosized metallosupramolecular architectures presenting quartet receptor arrays of interest for the development of nanosized biochips.