Self-assembly of a redox-active bolaamphiphile into supramolecular vesicles

The synthesis and self-assembly of a water-soluble bolaamphiphilic cyclopenta[hi]aceanthrylene derivative is described. Self-assembly in aqueous medium leads to the formation of supramolecular vesicles with intense absorption bands over an extended range of the UV/vis spectral region and a narrow HOMO-LUMO bandgap of 1.65 eV.