Heterometallic macromolecules: Synthesis, properties and multiple nanomaterial applications

Metallomacromolecules allow developing advanced materials with various characteristic properties including inter alia optoelectronics, conductivity, magnetism, self-healing, catalysis and cell targeting. Therefore, they possess broad application prospects in synthesis, nanoscience, bioscience, healthcare, energy storage and environment. In the past several decades, various metallomacromolecules have been developed, but more sophisticated materials involving two or more distinct types of metal centers (i.e. heterometallic macromolecules) have emerged with both possibilities of cumulating polyfunctional multimetallic properties and synergistic cooperative effects. The resulting more complex physical and chemical (reactivity) properties are at the origin of promising applications. This review article will summarize the synthetic methods for heterometallic macromolecules including heterometallopolymeric and heterometallodendritic materials. Their rich and multiple applications including multifunctional, supramolecular and self-assembly nanomaterial aspects in magnetism, optoelectronic, catalysis and biomedicine, are then carefully scrutinized. The current challenges of these heterometallopolymeric and heterometallodendritic nanomaterials are discussed, and perspectives of the field are provided with attempts to visualize new directions.