Magnetic Fe3O4‐PS‐Polyacetylene Composite Microspheres Showing Chirality Derived From Helical Substituted Polyacetylene

This communication reports the first integration of two significant concepts, “macromolecular helicity‐derived chirality,” and “magneticity” in one single microsphere entity. The novel chiral magnetic composite microspheres consisted of magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and optically active helical substituted polyacetylene. Therefore, they exhibited both remarkable optical activity and magneticity. The microspheres adsorbed (R)‐(+)‐1‐phenylethylamine much more quickly than the other enantiomer, demonstrating the potential applications of the chiral magnetic composite microspheres in chiral recognition and chiral resolution.     

Hierarchical amplification of macromolecular helicity of dynamic helical poly(phenylacetylene)s composed of chiral and achiral phenylacetylenes in dilute solution, liquid crystal, and two-dimensional crystal

Optically active poly(phenylacetylene) copolymers consisting of optically active and achiral phenylacetylenes bearing L-alanine decyl esters (1L) and 2-aminoisobutylic acid decyl esters (Aib) as the pendant groups (poly(1L(m)-co-Aib(n))) with various compositions were synthesized by the copolymerization of the optically active 1L with achiral Aib using a rhodium catalyst, and their chiral amplification of the macromolecular helicity in a dilute solution, a lyotropic liquid crystalline (LC) state, and a two-dimensional (2D) crystal on the substrate was investigated by measuring the circular dichroism of the copolymers, mesoscopic cholesteric twist in the LC state (cholesteric helical pitch), and high-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of the self-assembled 2D helix-bundles of the copolymer chains. We found that the macromolecular helicity of poly(1L(m)-co-Aib(n))s could be hierarchically amplified in the order of the dilute solution, LC state, and 2D crystal. In sharp contrast, almost no chiral amplification of the macromolecular helicity was observed for the homopolymer mixtures of 1L and Aib in the LC state and 2D crystal on graphite.     

Layer-by-layer assembly of charged poly(phenylacetylene)s with induced macromolecular helicity

The macromolecular helicity of charged poly(phenylacetylene)s induced by small chiral guests in water can be retained by the alternative deposition of achiral polyelectrolytes with opposite charges, resulting in optically active multilayer thin films with a macromolecular helicity memory.     

Macromolecular helicity induction in a cationic polyacetylene assisted by an anionic polyisocyanide with helicity memory in water: replication of macromolecular helicity

We report the first example of the replication of macromolecular helicity. An optically active helical and anionic polyelectrolyte, the sodium salt of poly(4-carboxyphenyl isocyanide), was found to serve as the template for further helicity induction in a different polyelectrolyte with opposite charges in water, resulting in interpolymer helical assemblies with controlled helicity. The effects of the pH and salt concentration on the helicity induction were investigated.     

Helix-sense controlled polymerization of a single phenyl isocyanide enantiomer leading to diastereomeric helical polyisocyanides with opposite helix-sense and cholesteric liquid crystals with opposite twist-sense

We report the unprecedented helix-sense controlled polymerization of enantiomerically pure phenyl isocyanides bearing an l- or d-alanine pendant with a long alkyl chain. The polymerization with an achiral nickel catalyst diastereoselectively proceeds, resulting in either a right- or left-handed helical polymer, whose helix-sense can be controlled by the polymerization solvent and temperature. Both the diastereomeric right- and left-handed helical polymers further self-assemble into lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystals with opposite twist-senses. Consequently, the macromolecular helicity and mesoscopic, supramolecular cholesteric twist can be controlled by the molecular chirality of the pendant of a single enantiomeric phenyl isocyanide through the polymerization under either kinetic or thermodynamic control assisted by hydrogen bonds. High-resolution atomic force microscopy revealed their helical conformations and enabled the determination of the helical sense.     

Dual memory of enantiomeric helices in a polyacetylene induced by a single enantiomer

We report the dual memory of both the enantiomeric right- and left-handed helical conformations induced in a polyacetylene based on the temperature-stimulated helicity inversion of the polymer. The polyacetylene folds into a one-handed helix induced by noncovalent bonding interactions with a single enantiomeric amine. The induced helix underwent a reversible inversion of the helicity by temperature. The diastereomeric right- and left-handed helices obtained at different temperatures could be further memorized when the optically active amine was replaced by an achiral diamine, generating right- and left-handed helices of the mirror images of each other. Consequently, both enantiomeric helices can be produced with a high efficiency from dynamically diastereomeric helical polyacetylenes induced by a single enantiomer.     

Mechanism of helix induction on a stereoregular Poly((4-carboxyphenyl)acetylene) with chiral amines and memory of the macromolecular helicity assisted by interaction with achiral amines

Cis-transoidal poly((4-carboxyphenyl)acetylene) (poly-1) is an optically inactive polymer but forms an induced one-handed helical structure upon complexation with optically active amines such as (R)-(1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl)amine ((R)-2) in DMSO. The complexes show a characteristic induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the UV-visible region of the polymer backbone. Moreover, the macromolecular helicity of poly-1 induced by (R)-2 can be "memorized" even after complete replacement of (R)-2 by various achiral amines. We now report fully detailed studies on the mechanism of the helicity induction and memory of the helical chirality of poly-1 by means of UV-visible, CD, and infrared spectroscopies. We have found that a one-handed helix is cooperatively induced on poly-1 upon the ion pair formation of the carboxy groups of poly-1 with optically active amines and that the bulkiness of the chiral amines plays a crucial role for inducing an excess of a single-handed helix. On the other hand, the free ion formation was found to be essential for the macromolecular helicity memory of poly-1 after the replacement of the chiral amine by achiral amines, since the intramolecular electrostatic repulsion between the neighboring carboxylate ions of poly-1 significantly contributes to reduce the atropisomerization process of poly-1. On the basis of the mechanism of helicity induction and the memory of the helical chirality drawn from the present studies, we succeeded in creating an almost perfect memory of the induced macromolecular helicity of poly-1 with (R)-2 by using 2-aminoethanol as an achiral chaperoning molecule to assist in maintaining the memory of helical chirality.     

Enantioselective esterification of prochiral phosphonate pendants of a polyphenylacetylene assisted by macromolecular helicity: storage of a dynamic macromolecular helicity memory

A poly(phenylacetylene) bearing a phosphonic acid monoethyl ester as the pendant forms a one-handed helical structure induced by an optically active amine, and this helicity can be "memorized"after the amine is replaced by achiral diamines. The helicity memory lasts for an extremely long time but spontaneously disappears after the achiral diamines are removed by a stronger acid, indicating the dynamic nature of the helicity memory. Here we report that such a dynamic memory could be "stored" after the pendant was converted to its methyl ester with diazomethane, resulting in the generation of a phosphorus stereogenic center with optical activity. The esterification enantioselectively proceeded through chirality transfer from the induced helical conformation or the helicity memory of the polyacetylene backbone. Although the enantioselectivity was low, the pendant chirality was significantly amplified in the polymer backbone at low temperatures, resulting in higher optical activity as an excess single-handed helix than that expected from the enantiomeric excess of the pendants.     

Helicity Induction and Its Static Memory of Poly(biphenylylacetylene)s Bearing Pyridine N‐Oxide Groups and Their Use as Asymmetric Organocatalysts

Novel poly(biphenylylacetylene) derivatives carrying different types of pyridine N‐oxide units with a bulky or less‐bulky substituent at a different position as the functional pendant groups (poly‐ 2a and poly‐ 2b ) were synthesized by the rhodium‐catalyzed polymerization of the corresponding monomers. The influence of the steric environment around the catalytically active pyridine N‐oxide sites on the helicity induction and its static memory as well as the asymmetric catalytic activities of the resulting helical polymers with a macromolecular helicity memory was investigated. The polyacetylenes formed an excess one‐handed helical conformation upon noncovalent interactions with optically active alcohols and the induced macromolecular helicities of the polyacetylenes were efficiently memorized after the removal of the chiral inducers. Poly‐ 2b with the macromolecular helicity memory showed an enantioselectivity for the catalytic asymmetric allylation of benzaldehydes, producing optically active allyl alcohols, although their enantioselectivities were low. On the other hand, poly‐ 2a exhibited a negligible catalytic activity probably due to the bulky substituent at the o‐position of the pyridine N‐oxide residues, while poly‐ 2a underwent a unique helix‐inversion with the increasing concentration of chiral alcohols and the opposite helicity of poly‐ 2a was further successfully memorized. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019 , 57, 2481–2490     

Unexpected Thermally Stable,Cholesteric Liquid‐Crystalline Helical Polyisocyanides with Memory of Macromolecular Helicity

The achiral sodium salt of poly(4‐carboxyphenyl isocyanide) (poly‐ 1 –Na) folds into a one‐handed helix induced by optically active amines in water. The induced helicity remains when the optically active amines are completely removed, and further modification of the side groups to amide residues is possible without loss of memory of macromolecular helicity. Although the helical poly‐ 1 –Na loses its chiral memory at high temperature, helical polyisocyanides modified with achiral primary amines, which no longer have any chiral components, keep their memory perfectly even at 100 °C in N,N‐dimethylformamide in some cases and exhibit cholesteric liquid‐crystalline phases, thus providing a robust scaffold with heat resistance to which a variety of functional groups can be introduced.     

Chiral Poly(4‐ethynylbenzoyl‐L‐valine)‐Induced Helical Self‐Assembly of Alkynylplatinum(II) Terpyridyl Complexes with Tunable Electronic Absorption,Emission, and Circular Dichroism Changes

The aggregation and self‐assembly of square‐planar alkynylplatinum(II) complexes is induced by the use of a chiral polyacetylene with a helical conformation (see scheme). The chain helicity of the chiral polyacetylene under basic conditions has also been demonstrated to be enhanced by the presence of the positively charged platinum(II) complexes.

     

Helix-sense-selective polymerization of phenylacetylene having two hydroxy groups using a chiral catalytic system

We have found a simple and novel synthetic method for obtaining a chiral polymer from an achiral monomer by using a chiral catalytic system. The chirality of the polymer was caused only by a one-handed helical backbone, and the polymer had no other chiral structures in the side groups. In addition, the helical conformation was stable in solution by itself. This is the first example of helix-sense-selective polymerization of a substituted acetylene. The stability of the helicity was found to be caused by intramolecular hydrogen bonds.     

Light-controlled supramolecular helicity of a liquid crystalline phase using a helical polymer functionalized with a single chiroptical molecular switch

Control over the preferred helical sense of a poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) (PHIC) by using a single light-driven molecular motor, covalently attached at the polymer's terminus, has been accomplished in solution via a combination of photochemical and thermal isomerizations. Here, we report that after redesigning the photochromic unit to a chiroptical molecular switch, of which the two states are thermally stable but photochemically bistable, the chiral induction to the polymer's backbone is significantly improved and the handedness of the helical polymer is addressable by irradiation with two different wavelengths of light. Moreover, we show that the chiral information is transmitted, via the macromolecular level of the polyisocyanate, to the supramolecular level of a lyotropic cholesteric liquid crystalline phase consisting of these stiff, rodlike polymers. This allows the magnitude and sign of the supramolecular helical pitch of the liquid crystal film to be fully controlled by light.     

Helicity Induction and Memory of the Macromolecular Helicity in a Polyacetylene Bearing a Biphenyl Pendant

A novel, cis‐transoidal poly‐(phenylacetylene) bearing a carboxybiphenyl group as the pendant (poly‐ 1 ) was prepared by polymerization of (4′‐ethoxycarbonyl‐4‐biphenylyl)acetylene with a rhodium catalyst followed by hydrolysis of the ester groups. Upon complexation with various chiral amines and amino alcohols in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), the polymer exhibited characteristic induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the UV/Vis region due to the predominantly one‐handed helix formation of the polymer backbone as well as an excess of a single‐handed, axially twisted conformation of the pendant biphenyl group. Poly‐ 1 complexed with (R)‐2‐amino‐1‐propanol showed unique time‐dependent inversion of the macromolecular helicity. Furthermore, the preferred‐handed helical conformation of poly‐ 1 induced by a chiral amine was further “memorized” after the chiral amine was replaced with achiral 2‐aminoethanol or n‐butylamine in DMSO. In sharp contrast to the previously reported memory in poly((4‐carboxyphenyl)acetylene), the present helicity memory of poly‐ 1 was accompanied by memory of the twisted biphenyl chirality in the pendants. Unprecedentedly, the helicity memory of poly‐ 1 with achiral 2‐aminoethanol was found to occur simultaneously with inversion of the axial chirality of the biphenyl groups followed by memory of the inverted biphenyl chirality, thus showing a significant change in the CD spectral pattern.     

Dispersion and current-voltage characteristics of helical polyacetylene single fibers

To study the transport properties of individual helical polyacetylene (PA) fibers, we developed a method to extract a single fiber from tightly entangled ropes of helical PA bulk film. After a few minutes of sonication of a piece of helical PA bulk film in an organic solution containing surfactant, a droplet of solution is deposited on the pre-pattened electrode under argon atmosphere. AFM images show that extracted helical PA fibers are typically 10 mum in length and 100-200 nm in diameter. We found that the helicity of bulk materials is conserved. We present the temperature dependencies of current-voltage characteristics of individual helical PA fibers doped with iodine.     

Chiral Overpass Induction in Dynamic Helical Polymers Bearing Pendant Groups with Two Chiral Centers

The dynamic behavior of helical polymers bearing pendant groups with two chiral centers was studied. Controlled conformational changes at the chiral units placed either closer to or further away from the main chain promote different helical structures. Although the first residue is usually responsible for determining a specific helicity (P or M), we now found that the second chiral center is also able to induce a preferred helical sense when it is located closer in space to the main chain, thereby cancelling the order from the first chiral moiety. This result was achieved through proper coordination with a metal cation. As proof of concept, poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) that bear one and two chiral amino acid units of different sizes and configuration combinations (l /d ‐alanine and l /d ‐phenylalanine) as pendants were evaluated. In total, ten polymers were studied. This constitutes the first report of axial control from a remote stereocenter in polymers bearing complex chiral pendants.     

Macromolecular helicity inversion of poly(phenylacetylene) derivatives induced by various external stimuli

Unique macromolecular helicity inversion of stereoregular, optically active poly(phenylacetylene) derivatives induced by external achiral and chiral stimuli is briefly reviewed. Stereoregular, cis-transoidal poly(phenylacetylene)s bearing an optically active substituent, such as (1R,2S)-norephedrine (poly- 1 ) and β-cyclodextrin residues (poly- 2 ), show an induced circular dichroism (ICD) in the UV-visible region of the polymer backbone in solution due to a predominantly one-handed helical conformation of the polymers. However, poly- 1 undergoes a helix-helix transition upon complexation with chiral acids having an R configuration, and the complexes exhibit a dramatic change in the ICD of poly- 1 . Poly- 2 also shows the inversion of macromolecular helicity responding to molecular and chiral recognition events that occurred at the remote cyclodextrin residues from the polymer backbone; the helicity inversion is accompanied by a visible color change. A similar helix-helix transition of poly((R)- or (S)-(4-((1-(1-naphthyl)ethyl)carbamoyl)phenyl)acetylene) is also briefly described.     

Role reversal in a supramolecular assembly: a chiral cyanine dye controls the helicity of a peptide-nucleic acid duplex

A new dicarbocyanine dye bearing branched, chiral N-alkyl substituents was synthesized and its ability to form helical aggregates on peptide nucleic acid (PNA) double-helical templates was studied. The dye aggregates less effectively than an analogous dye bearing linear, achiral substituents, presumably due to steric problems with packing the branched substituents compared with the linear substituents. When the PNA duplex has a left-handed helicity, addition of the achiral dye leads to formation of a left-handed dye aggregate. However, when the chiral dye aggregates in the presence of this duplex, a right-handed structure is formed, suggesting that the dye alters the helicity of the underlying template. When a racemic PNA duplex (i.e., equal amounts of right- and left-handed helices) is used, no chirality is observed for the dye aggregate formed by the achiral dye but a right-handed helical aggregate is once again formed by the chiral dye. These results indicate that chirality is transferred from the dye to the PNA, as opposed to other examples of polymer-templated dye aggregation where chirality is transferred from the template to the dye.     

Highly twisted helical polyacetylene with morphology free from the bundle of fibrils synthesized in chiral nematic liquid crystal reaction field

We synthesized novel axially chiral binaphthyl derivatives with highly twisting powers by substituting phenylcyclohexyl (PCH) mesogenic moieties into 2,2' positions or 2,2',6,6' positions of binaphthyl rings. The di- and tetrasubstituted binaphthyl derivatives, abbreviated as D-1 and D-2, respectively, were adopted as chiral dopants to induce chiral nematic liquid crystals (N*-LCs) available for synthesis of helical polyacetylene. The helical twisting power (betaM) of D-2 was 449 microm(-1), which was ca. 2.6 times larger than that of D-1 (171 microm(-1)). We prepared two kinds of induced N*-LCs with 5 microm and 270 nm in helical pitch by adding the chiral dopants D-1 and D-2 into the host N-LCs, respectively. The helical polyacetylene synthesized in the N*-LC containing D-2 exhibited highly screwed fibrils, but not a bundle of fibrils. This result is in quite contrast to the usual fibril morphology, where the screwed fibrils are gathered to form the bundle of fibrils, as observed in the helical polyacetylene synthesized in the N*-LC containing a chiral dopant with moderate helical twisting power, such as D-1. It is of keen interest that the helical pitch (270 nm) of the N*-LC including D-2 is much smaller than the diameter (ca. 1 microm) of the bundle of fibrils, which should depress the formation of the bundle of fibrils. The morphology free from the bundle of fibrils might enable us to evaluate more precisely intrinsic electromagnetic properties of a single screwed fibril of helical polyacetylene.     

Two-dimensional surface chirality control by solvent-induced helicity inversion of a helical polyacetylene on graphite

We report the direct evidence for the macromolecular helicity inversion of a helical poly(phenylacetylene) bearing l- or d-alanine pendants with a long alkyl chain in different solvents by atomic force microscopy observations of the diastereomeric helical structures. The diastereomeric helical poly(phenylacetylene)s induced in polar and nonpolar solvents self-assembled into ordered, two-dimensional helix bundles with controlled molecular packing, helical pitch, and handedness on graphite upon exposure of each solvent. The macromolecular helicity deposited on graphite from a polar solvent further inverted to the opposite handedness by exposure to a specific nonpolar solvent, and these changes in the surface chirality based on the inversion of helicity could be visualized by atomic force microscopy with molecular resolution, and the results were quantified by X-ray diffraction of the oriented liquid crystalline, diastereomeric helical polymer films.