Self‐Healing,Expansion–Contraction,and Shape‐Memory Properties of a Preorganized Supramolecular Hydrogel through Host–Guest Interactions

Supramolecular materials cross‐linked between polymer chains by noncovalent bonds have the potential to provide dynamic functions that are not produced by covalently cross‐linked polymeric materials. We focused on the formation of supramolecular polymeric materials through host–guest interactions: a powerful method for the creation of nonconventional materials. We employed two different kinds of host–guest inclusion complexes of β‐cyclodextrin (βCD) with adamantane (Ad) and ferrocene (Fc) to bind polymers together to form a supramolecular hydrogel (βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel). The βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed self‐healing ability when damaged and responded to redox stimuli by expansion or contraction. Moreover, the βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed a redox‐responsive shape‐morphing effect. We thus succeeded in deriving three functions from the introduction of two kinds of functional units into a supramolecular material.     

Self‐Healing,Expansion–Contraction,and Shape‐Memory Properties of a Preorganized Supramolecular Hydrogel through Host–Guest Interactions

Supramolecular materials cross‐linked between polymer chains by noncovalent bonds have the potential to provide dynamic functions that are not produced by covalently cross‐linked polymeric materials. We focused on the formation of supramolecular polymeric materials through host–guest interactions: a powerful method for the creation of nonconventional materials. We employed two different kinds of host–guest inclusion complexes of β‐cyclodextrin (βCD) with adamantane (Ad) and ferrocene (Fc) to bind polymers together to form a supramolecular hydrogel (βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel). The βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed self‐healing ability when damaged and responded to redox stimuli by expansion or contraction. Moreover, the βCD‐Ad‐Fc gel showed a redox‐responsive shape‐morphing effect. We thus succeeded in deriving three functions from the introduction of two kinds of functional units into a supramolecular material.     

Triterpenoid‐Based Self‐Healing Supramolecular Polymer Hydrogels Formed by Host–Guest Interactions

Pentacyclic triterpenoids, a class of naturally bioactive products having multiple functional groups, unique chiral centers, rigid skeletons, and good biocompatibility, are ideal building blocks for fabricating versatile supramolecular structures. In this research, the natural pentacyclic triterpenoid glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) was used as a guest molecule for β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) to form a GA/β‐CD (1:1) inclusion complex. By means of GA and β‐CD pendant groups in N,N′‐dimethylacrylamide copolymers, a supramolecular polymer hydrogel can be physically cross‐linked by host–guest interactions between GA and β‐CD moieties. Moreover, self‐healing of this hydrogel was observed and confirmed by step‐strain rheological measurements, whereby the maximum storage modulus occurred at a [GA]/[β‐CD] molar ratio of 1:1. Additionally, these polymers displayed outstanding biocompatibility. The introduction of a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid into a hydrogel system not only provides a biocompatible guest–host complementary GA/β‐CD pair, but also makes this hydrogel an attractive candidate for tissue engineering.     

Supramolecular Porphyrin Copolymer Assembled through Host–Guest Interactions and Metal–Ligand Coordination

Bisporphyrin cleft molecule 1 Zn possessing a guest moiety assembled to form supramolecular polymers through host–guest interactions. Bispyridine cross‐linkers created interchain connections among the supramolecular polymers to form networked polymers in solution. Solution viscometry confirmed that the cross‐linked supramolecular polymers were highly entangled. Frequency‐dependent linear viscoelastic spectroscopy revealed that the supramolecular polymers generated well‐entangled solutions with associating and networking polymers, whereas the solid‐like aggregates moved individually without breaking and reforming structures below the transition temperature of 9.6 °C. Morphological transition of the supramolecular polymers was evidenced by AFM images; the non‐cross‐linked polymer resulted in wide‐spread thin networks, while the cross‐linked networks produced thicker worm‐like nanostructures. The supramolecular networks gelled in 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane, and an elastic free‐standing film was fabricated with a Young’s modulus of 1 GPa.     

Cyclic Zinc(II) Bisporphyrin‐Based Molecular Switches: Supramolecular Control of Complexation‐Mediated Conformational Switching and Photoinduced Electron Transfer

A cyclic zinc(II) bisporphyrin with flexible linker was employed as a dynamic molecular switch under the regulation of π‐acceptors (tetracyanoquinodimethane, trinitrofluorenone, 9‐dicyanomethylenefluorene) and bidentate N‐donor ligands (1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, pyrazine, 4,4′‐bipyridine). The cyclic bisporphyrin host can efficiently encapsulate the π‐acceptor guests through the strong π–π interaction, which can be replaced again by using a bidentate N‐donor ligand, which coordinates strongly with the metal centers. The open conformation of the bisporphyrin can be efficiently recovered by removing the bidentate ligands using Cu⁺ ion. During the process, two porphyrin rings also reversibly change their relative orientation between perpendicular and parallel. The behavior of the cyclic bisporphyrin was followed by using UV/Vis, ¹H NMR, fluorescence, and electrochemical analyses along with X‐ray structure determination of the complexes. Moreover, control of photoinduced electron transfer (PET “ON‐OFF”) is also achieved by the use of guest exchange. Association constants for the host–guest binding were very high, which further explains the robust nature of such assemblies in solution. The experimental evidence is supported by DFT calculations. Such controllable dynamic features can constitute a new step towards "smart" adaptive molecular devices and the emergence of such systems is of significant interest in supramolecular chemistry.     

Construction of Chemical‐Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogels from Guest‐Modified Cyclodextrins

A methodology for preparing supramolecular hydrogels from guest‐modified cyclodextrins (CDs) based on the host–guest and hydrogen‐bonding interactions of CDs is presented. Four types of modified CDs were synthesized to understand better the gelation mechanism. The 2D ROESY NMR spectrum of β‐CD‐AmTNB (Am=amino, TNB=trinitrobenzene) reveals that the TNB group was included in the β‐CD cavity. Pulsed field gradient NMR (PFG NMR) spectroscopy and AFM show that β‐CD‐AmTNB formed a supramolecular polymer in aqueous solution through head‐to‐tail stacking. Although β‐CD‐AmTNB did not produce a hydrogel due to insufficient growth of supramolecular polymers, β‐CD‐CiAmTNB (Ci=cinnamoyl) formed supramolecular fibrils through host–guest interactions. Hydrogen bonds between the cross‐linked fibrils resulted in the hydrogel, which displayed excellent chemical‐responsive properties. Gel‐to‐sol transitions occurred by adding 1‐adamantane carboxylic acid (AdCA) or urea. ¹H NMR and induced circular dichroism (ICD) spectra reveal that AdCA released the guest parts from the CD cavity and that urea acts as a denaturing agent to break the hydrogen bonds between CDs. The hydrogel was also destroyed by adding β‐CD, which acts as the competitive host to reduce the fibrils. Furthermore, the gel changed to a sol by adding methyl orange (MO) as a guest compound, but the gel reappeared upon addition of α‐CD, which is a stronger host for MO.     

Guest–host chemistry with dendrimers: Stable polymer assemblies by rational design

A new type of guest has been designed and synthesized for the exo‐type supramolecular functionalization of adamantyl‐urea‐terminated poly(propylene imine) dendrimers. This new type of guest motif features a uriedo methane sulfonic acid moiety that binds very selectively to the surfaces of dendrimers via a combination of noncovalent interactions forming well‐defined complexes. The guest–host properties have been examined for a fifth‐generation adamantyl‐urea‐functionalized poly(propylene imine) dendrimer capable of binding 32 guest molecules and for a model host molecule that can bind only one guest molecule. The guest–host chemistry has been studied with ¹H NMR spectroscopy, nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy NMR spectroscopy, T₁‐relaxation NMR experiments, and IR spectroscopy. The 1:32 ratio with the dendrimer has been confirmed unambiguously from ¹H NMR spectra of the complex after size exclusion chromatography. Competition experiments with guests bearing a carboxylic acid instead of a sulfonic acid in the binding motif have demonstrated that the sulfonic acid has superior binding strength. Also, the importance of a combination of noncovalent interactions has been shown via competition experiments with a guest lacking the uriedo moiety. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 3792–3799, 2004     

A Hybrid Supramolecular Polymeric Hydrogel with Rapid Self‐Healing Property

A hybrid supramolecular polymeric hydrogel is conveniently constructed via host–guest interaction of a host cyclodextrin polymer (poly‐CD) with a guest α‐bromonaphthalene polymer (poly‐BrNp) and mixing with 6‐thio‐β‐cyclodextrin (β‐SH‐CD) modified gold nanoparticles (GPCDs) in aqueous solution. According to the dynamic oscillatory data, the hydrogel exhibits markedly enhanced stiffness compared with the GPCD‐free one (both G′ and G“ values are almost twice as high as those of the original GPCD‐free hydrogel) due to the introduction of the inorganic gold nanoparticles. This hybrid supramolecular polymeric hydrogel has a rapid and excellent self‐healing property (only about 1 min, and the G′ and G” of the self‐healed hydrogel almost turned back to their original levels after 1 hour) in air (without adding any solvent or additive).     

Exploiting Host–Guest Interactions for the Synthesis of a Rod–Rod Block Copolymer with Crystalline and Liquid‐Crystalline Blocks

By making use of the host–guest interactions between the host molecule tris‐o‐phenylenedioxycyclotriphosphazene (TPP) and the rod–coil block copolymer (BCP) poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(octyl 4′‐octyloxy‐2‐vinylbiphenyl‐4‐carboxylate) (PEO‐b‐PVBP), the supramolecular rod–rod block copolymer P(EO@TPP)‐b‐PVBP was constructed. It consists of a crystalline segment P(EO@TPP) with a hexagonal crystalline structure and a columnar nematic liquid‐crystalline segment (PVBP). As the PVBP segments arrange themselves as columnar nematic phases, the crystalline structure of the inclusion complex P(EO@TPP), which has a smaller diameter, is destroyed. The self‐assembled nanostructure is thus clearly affected by the interplay between the two blocks. On the basis of wide‐ and small‐angle X‐ray scattering analysis, we conclude that the supramolecular rod–rod BCP can self‐assemble into a cylinder‐in‐cylinder double hexagonal structure.     

Host–Guest Binding‐Site‐Tunable Self‐Assembly of Stimuli‐Responsive Supramolecular Polymers

Despite the remarkable progress made in controllable self‐assembly of stimuli‐responsive supramolecular polymers (SSPs), a basic issue that has not been consideration to date is the essential binding site. The noncovalent binding sites, which connect the building blocks and endow supramolecular polymers with their ability to respond to stimuli, are expected to strongly affect the self‐assembly of SSPs. Herein, the design and synthesis of a dual‐stimuli thermo‐ and photoresponsive Y‐shaped supramolecular polymer (SSP2) with two adjacent β‐cyclodextrin/azobenzene (β‐CD/Azo) binding sites, and another SSP (SSP1) with similar building blocks, but only one β‐CD/Azo binding site as a control, are described. Upon gradually increasing the polymer solution temperature or irradiating with UV light, SSP2 self‐assemblies with a higher binding‐site distribution density; exhibits a flower‐like morphology, smaller size, and more stable dynamic aggregation process; and greater controllability for drug‐release behavior than those observed with SSP1 self‐assemblies. The host–guest binding‐site‐tunable self‐assembly was attributed to the positive cooperativity generated among adjacent binding sites on the surfaces of SSP2 self‐assemblies. This work is beneficial for precisely controlling the structural parameters and controlled release function of SSP self‐assemblies.     

Podand‐Based Dimeric Chromium(III)–Salen Complex for Asymmetric Henry Reaction: Cooperative Catalysis Promoted by Complexation of Alkali Metal Ions

A new kind of podand‐based dimeric salen ligand was synthesized, and its association with potassium cations was investigated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding Cr^III–salen dimer was assembled by a supramolecular host–guest self‐assembly process and was then used as a catalyst in highly efficient and enantioselective asymmetric Henry reactions. Regulation by KBAr_F (BAr_F=[3,5‐(CF₃)₂C₆H₃]₄B) led to remarkable improvements in yield (by up to 58 %) and enantioselectivity (for example, from 80 % ee to 96 % ee).     

Hydrogen‐Bond and Metal–Ligand Coordination Bond Hybrid Supramolecular Capsules: Identification of Hemicapsular Intermediate and Dual Control of Guest Exchange Dynamics

Hybrid supramolecular capsules self‐assemble by simultaneously forming hydrogen and metal–ligand coordination bonds on mixing a C₂‐symmetrical cavitand (calix[4]resorcinarene‐based cavitands with ureide and terminal 4‐pyridyl units) with platinum or palladium complexes ([Pt(OTf)₂] or [Pd(OTf)₂] with chelating bisphosphines) in 1:1 ratio. Hemicapsular assemblies formed in the presence of excess amounts of cavitand relative to the platinum or palladium complexes are identified as intermediates in the above self‐assembly process by 2D‐NOESY spectroscopy. External‐anion‐assisted encapsulation of a neutral guest, 4,4′‐diiodobiphenyl, inside the hybrid supramolecular capsules accompanied conformational changes in the hydrogen‐bonding moieties. The in/out exchange ratio of the encapsulated guest depends on the bite angle of the bisphosphine ligand. Addition of DMSO accelerates guest exchange by weakening the hydrogen bonds in the encapsulation complex. Therefore, variations in the structure of the metal complex and amount of polar solvent exert dual control on the dynamics of the guest exchange.     

Metal Ion,Light, and Redox Responsive Interaction of Vesicles by a Supramolecular Switch

Chemical, photochemical and electrical stimuli are versatile possibilities to exert external control on self‐assembled materials. Here, a trifunctional molecule that switches between an “adhesive” and a “non‐adhesive” state in response to metal ions, or light, or oxidation is presented. To this end, an azobenzene–ferrocene conjugate with a flexible N,N′‐bis(3‐aminopropyl)ethylenediamine spacer was designed as a multistimuli‐responsive guest molecule that can form inclusion complexes with β‐cyclodextrin. In the absence of any stimulus the guest molecule induces reversible aggregation of host vesicles composed of amphiphilic β‐cyclodextrin due to the formation of intervesicular inclusion complexes. In this case, the guest molecule operates as a noncovalent cross‐linker for the host vesicles. In response to any of three external stimuli (metal ions, UV irradiation, or oxidation), the conformation of the guest molecule changes and its affinity for the host vesicles is strongly reduced, which results in the dissociation of intervesicular complexes. Upon elimination or reversal of the stimuli (sequestration of metal ion, visible irradiation, or reduction) the affinity of the guest molecules for the host vesicles is restored. The reversible cross‐linking and aggregation of the cyclodextrin vesicles in dilute aqueous solution was confirmed by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), optical density measurements at 600 nm (OD₆₀₀), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ‐potential measurements and cyclic voltammetry (CV). To the best of our knowledge, a dynamic supramolecular system based on a molecular switch that responds orthogonally to three different stimuli is unprecedented.     

Self‐Assembly and Disassembly of Vesicles as Controlled by Anion–π Interactions

Anion–π interactions have been widely studied as new noncovalent driving forces in supramolecular chemistry. However, self‐assembly induced by anion–π interactions is still largely unexplored. Herein we report the formation of supramolecular amphiphiles through anion–π interactions, and the subsequent formation of self‐assembled vesicles in water. With the π receptor 1 as the host and anionic amphiphiles, such as sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), sodium laurate (SLA), and sodium methyl dodecylphosphonate (SDP), as guests, the sequential formation of host–guest supramolecular amphiphiles and self‐assembled vesicles was demonstrated by SEM, TEM, DLS, and XRD techniques. The intrinsic anion–π interactions between 1 and the anionic amphiphiles were confirmed by crystal diffraction, HRMS analysis, and DFT calculations. Furthermore, the controlled disassembly of the vesicles was promoted by competing anions, such as NO₃^?, Cl^?, and Br^?, or by changing the pH value of the medium.     

Ultrasound‐Driven Secondary Self‐Assembly of Amphiphilic β‐Cyclodextrin Dimers

The controlled secondary self‐assembly of amphiphilic molecules in solution is theoretically and practically significant in amphiphilic molecular applications. An amphiphilic β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) dimer, namely LA‐(CD)₂, has been synthesized, wherein one lithocholic acid (LA) unit is hydrophobic and two β‐CD units are hydrophilic. In an aqueous solution at room temperature, LA‐(CD)₂ self‐assembles into spherical micelles without ultrasonication. The primary micelles dissociates and then secondarily form self‐assemblies with branched structures under ultrasonication. The branched aggregates revert to primary micelles at high temperature. The ultrasound‐driven secondary self‐assembly is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, and Cu²⁺‐responsive experiments. Furthermore, 2D NOESY NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy results indicate that the formation of the primary micelles is driven by hydrophilic–hydrophobic interactions, whereas host–guest interactions promote the formation of the secondary assemblies. Additionally, ultrasonication is shown to be able to effectively destroy the primary hydrophilic–hydrophobic balances while enhancing the host–guest interaction between the LA and β‐CD moieties at room temperature.     

Electrospray‐Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Screening the Specificity and Stability of Single‐Stranded‐DNA Templated Self‐Assemblies

Supramolecular complexes consisting of a single‐stranded oligothymine ( dTn ) as the host template and an array of guest molecules equipped with a complementary diaminotriazine hydrogen‐bonding unit have been studied with electrospray‐ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). In this hybrid construct, a supramolecular stack of guest molecules is hydrogen bonded to dTn . By changing the hydrogen‐bonding motif of the DNA host template or the guest molecules, selective hydrogen bonding was proven. We were able to detect single‐stranded‐DNA (ssDNA)–guest complexes for strands with lengths of up to 20 bases, in which the highest complex mass detected was 15 kDa; these complexes constitute 20‐component self‐assembled objects. Gas‐phase breakdown experiments on single‐ and multiple‐guest–DNA assemblies gave qualitative information on the fragmentation pathways and the relative complex stabilities. We found that the guest molecules are removed from the template one by one in a highly controlled way. The stabilities of the complexes depend mainly on the molecular weight of the guest molecules, a fact suggesting that the complexes collapse in the gas phase. By mixing two different guests with the ssDNA template, a multicomponent dynamic library can be created. Our results demonstrate that ESI‐MS is a powerful tool to analyze supramolecular ssDNA complexes in great detail.     

Dynamic Hydrogels from Host–Guest Supramolecular Interactions

Hydrogel biomaterials are pervasive in biomedical use. Applications of these soft materials range from contact lenses to drug depots to scaffolds for transplanted cells. A subset of hydrogels is prepared from physical cross‐linking mediated by host–guest interactions. Host macrocycles, the most recognizable supramolecular motif, facilitate complex formation with an array of guests by inclusion in their portal. Commonly, an appended macrocycle forms a complex with appended guests on another polymer chain. The formation of poly(pseudo)rotaxanes is also demonstrated, wherein macrocycles are threaded by a polymer chain to give rise to physical cross‐linking by secondary non‐covalent interactions or polymer jamming. Host–guest supramolecular hydrogels lend themselves to a variety of applications resulting from their dynamic properties that arise from non‐covalent supramolecular interactions, as well as engineered responsiveness to external stimuli. These are thus an exciting new class of materials.     

An Enantiopure Hydrogen‐Bonded Octameric Tube: Self‐Sorting and Guest‐Induced Rearrangement

The assembly of a discrete hydrogen‐bonded molecular tube from eight small identical monomers is reported. Tube assembly was accomplished by means of selective heterodimerization between isocytosine and ureidopyrimidinone hydrogen‐bonding motifs embedded in an enantiopure bicyclic building block, leading to the selective formation of an octameric supramolecular tube. Upon introduction of a fullerene guest molecule, the octameric tube rearranges into a tetrameric inclusion complex and the hydrogen‐bonding mode is switched. The dynamic behavior of the system is further explored in solvent‐ and guest‐responsive self‐sorting experiments.     

Cucurbituril‐mediated immobilization of fluorescent proteins on supramolecular biomaterials

The reversible introduction of functionality at material surfaces is of interest for the development of functional biomaterials. In particular, the use of supramolecular immobilization strategies facilitates mild reaction and processing conditions, as compared to other covalent analogues. Here, the engineering of multicomponent supramolecular materials, beyond the use of a single supramolecular entity is proposed. Cucurbit[8]uril (Q8) mediated host–guest chemistry is combined with hydrogen bonding supramolecular 2‐ureido‐4‐pyrimidinone (UPy)‐based materials. The modular incorporation of a UPy‐additive that presents one guest to incorporate into the Q8 host allows for selective supramolecular functionalization at the water–polymer material interface. Supramolecular ternary complex formation at the material surface was studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which as a result of large overlap in atomic composition of the different components showed minor changes is surface composition upon complex formation. Surface MALDI‐ToF MS measurements revealed useful insights in the formation of complexes. Protein immobilization was monitored using both fluorescence spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring, which successfully demonstrated ternary complex formation. Although proteins could selectively be immobilized onto the surfaces, control of the system's stability remains a challenge as a result of the dynamicity of the host–guest assembly. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 3607–3616     

Size‐Tunable Micron‐Bubbles Based on Fluorous–Fluorous Interactions of Perfluorinated Dendritic Polyglycerols

This paper describes the behavior of various generations of polyglycerol dendrimers that contain a perfluorinated shell. The aggregation in organic solvents is based on supramolecular fluorous–fluorous interactions, which can be described by means of ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopy. In order to study the interaction and aggregation phenomena of dendrimers with perfluorinated shell and perfluoro‐tagged guest molecules we investigated [G3.5]‐dendrimer with a perfluorinated shell in the presence of perfluoro‐tagged disperse red. Noteworthy, the interaction intensities varied in an unexpected manner depending on the equivalents of perfluoro‐tagged guest molecules added to the dendrimers in solution which then formed supramolecular complexes based on fluorous–fluorous interactions. We found that these complexes aggregated around residual air in the solvent to form stable micron‐sized bubbles. Their sizes correlated with the interaction intensities measured for certain dendrimer–guest molecule ratios. Degassing of the solutions led to a quasi phase separation between organic and fluorous phase, whereby the dendrimers formed the fluorous phases. Regassing the sample with air afforded bubbles of the initial size again.