Mesomorphism,polymerization, and chirality induction in α‐cyanostilbene‐functionalized diacetylene‐assembled films: Photo‐triggered Z/E isomerization

Engineering of molecular stacking arrangement via environmental stimuli is of particular interest in stimuli‐responsive self‐assembling architectures. A novel dual photo‐functionalized diacetylene ((Z)‐CNBE‐DA) molecule was synthesized, in which photo‐responsive cyanostilbene moieties exhibited interesting Z‐E isomerization upon UV light irradiation and could be utilized to modulate mesomorphism, molecular stacking arrangement and resulting polymerization behavior. Rod‐like (Z)‐CNBE‐DA could self‐assemble into well‐defined lamellar structures and the helical polydiacetylene (PDA) chains could be formed upon irradiation with circularly polarized ultraviolet light (CPUL). However, the bent‐shaped (E)‐CNBE‐DA molecules only self‐assembled into irregular loose packing, inhibiting the formation of ordered helical PDA chains upon CPUL irradiation. In this work, we established the links between chemical structures, molecular packing engineering and photophysical properties, which would be of great fundamental value for the rational design of smart soft materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2458–2466     

柔性间隔基对于香豆素取代二乙炔LB膜聚合及手性形成的影响

设计合成了2种香豆素取代二乙炔单体,7-(10,12-二十三双炔酰氧基)-香豆素(CODA)和7-(10,12-二十三双炔酰氧乙氧基)-香豆素(CO2DA),研究了柔性间隔基对香豆素取代二乙炔单体在气-液界面的组装、单体LB膜的聚合以及聚二乙炔主链螺旋结构形成的影响.利用Langmui-Blodgett(LB)技术,以纯水为亚相,膜压在35 mN/m时沉积制备了香豆素取代二乙炔单体LB膜.尽管CODA是非手性的,但其LB膜均表现出明显的宏观手性信号.这是由于在压缩过程中香豆素基团间强烈的π-π堆积,形成了螺旋排列,显示出超分子手性.而CO2DA LB膜无明显CD信号.经254 nm紫外光辐照,CODA LB膜聚合成蓝相,聚二乙炔主链表现出明显的宏观手性.而CO2DA LB膜聚合后无明显的CD信号.薄膜中香豆素功能基团的不规则排列不利于二乙炔单体的固态聚合以及聚二乙炔主链螺旋结构的形成.     

Colorimetric reversibility of polydiacetylene supramolecules having enhanced hydrogen-bonding under thermal and pH stimuli

To investigate the role of hydrogen-bonding on colorimetric transition of polydiacetylene supramolecules, novel diacetylene derivatives allowing various hydrogen-bonding states were synthesized by coupling carboxy-substituted (ortho-, meta-, and para-) anilide groups with a typical single-chain diacetylene lipid. One with a terminal carboxyl group at the meta position provided the resulting supramolecular Langmuir-Schaefer films with enhanced hydrogen-bonding, and hence resulted in unprecedented colorimetric reversibility under both thermal and pH stimuli.     

Peptide amphiphile nanofibers with conjugated polydiacetylene backbones in their core

The coupling of electronic and biological functionality through self-assembly is an interesting target in supramolecular chemistry. We report here on a set of diacetylene-derivatized peptide amphiphiles (PAs) that react to form conjugated polydiacetylene backbones following self-assembly into cylindrical nanofibers. The polymerization reaction yields highly conjugated backbones when the peptidic segment of the PAs has a linear, as opposed to a branched, architecture. Given the topotactic nature of the polymerization, these results suggest that a high degree of internal order exists in the supramolecular nanofibers formed by the linear PA. On the basis of microscopy, the formation of a polydiacetylene backbone to covalently connect the beta-sheets that help form the fibers does not disrupt the fiber shape. Interestingly, we observe the appearance of a polydiacetylene (PDA) circular dichroism band at 547 nm in linear PA nanofibers suggesting the conjugated backbone in the core of the nanostructures is twisted. We believe this CD signal is due to chiral induction by the beta-sheets, which are normally twisted in helical fashion. Heating and cooling shows simultaneous changes in beta-sheet and conjugated backbone structure, indicating they are both correlated. At the same time, poor polymerization in nanofibers formed by branched PAs indicates that less internal order exists in these nanostructures and, as expected, then a circular dichroism signal is not observed for the conjugated backbone. The general variety of materials investigated here has the obvious potential to couple electronic properties and in vitro bioactivity. Furthermore, the polymerization of monomers in peptide amphiphile assemblies by a rigid conjugated backbone also leads to mechanical robustness and insolubility, two properties that may be important for the patterning of these materials at the cellular scale.     

The effect of spacer length on the polymerization of diacetylenes in sams on gold surfaces

The influence of the molecular architecture of diacetylene disulfides on the structure and polymerizability of self assembled monolayers on gold was investigated. The position of the diacetylene group was varied systematically by adjusting the length of the tail and the spacer. For the structures studied, the longer the tail, the higher the akyl chain crystallinity as sensed by IR spectroscopy, and the higher the polymerization efficiency as probed by resonance Raman spectroscopy. The influence of the spacer on the polymerizability is more complicated. It is conjectured that the spacer reduces the lattice strain due to the misfit of the arrangement of the anchor groups and the arrangement of the diacetylene units and the polydiacetylene backbone, respectively. Simple modeling reveals that the number of the methylene units (odd or even) and the overall length both influence the arrangement. The highest polymerization efficiency is found for the longest, odd numbered spacer.     

Modulating artificial membrane morphology: pH-induced chromatic transition and nanostructural transformation of a bolaamphiphilic conjugated polymer from blue helical ribbons to red nanofibers.

Design and characterization of helical ribbon assemblies of a bolaamphiphilic conjugated polymer and their color-coded transformation into nanofibers are described. An L-glutamic acid modified bolaamphiphilic diacetylene lipid was synthesized and self-assembled into right-handed helical ribbons with micron scale length and nano scale thickness under mild conditions. The ribbon structures were further stabilized by polymerizing well-aligned diacetylene units to form bisfunctional polydiacetylenes (PDAs). Transitions from flat sheets to helical ribbons and tubes were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The helical ribbons appear to originate from the rupture of flat sheets along domain edges and the peeling off between stacked lipid layers. These results point to the applicability of chiral packing theory in bolaamphiphilic supramolecular assemblies. Contact mode atomic force microscopy observations revealed that high order existed in the surface packing arrangement. Hexagonal and pseudorectangular packings were observed in flat and twisted regions of the ribbons, respectively, suggesting a correlation between microscopic morphologies and nanoscopic packing arrangements. The tricarboxylate functionalities of the bolaamphiphilic lipid provide a handle for the manipulation of the bisfunctional PDAs' morphology. Increasing solution pH caused the fraying of helical ribbons into nanofibers accompanied by a sharp blue-to-red chromatic transition. A dramatic change in circular dichroism spectra was observed during this process, suggesting the loss of chirality in packing. A model is proposed to account for the pH-induced morphological change and chromatic transition. The color-coded transition between two distinct microstructures would be useful in the design of sensors and other "smart" nanomaterials requiring defined molecular templates.     

Preparation of side‐on bisazobenzene‐containing homopolymers and block copolymers via ATRP and studies on their photoisomerization and photoalignment behaviors

The preparation of a series of novel homopolymers and copolymers containing bisazobenzene chromophores with side‐on structure in the side chains via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) were presented. UV–vis spectra of the thin films of these polymers under irradiation of 488 nm Ar⁺ laser suggested that the photoisomerization of the bisazobenzene chromophores happened mainly on one of the two azo groups in the bisazobenzene chromophores with similar probability due to their side‐on structure. Good photoalignment behaviors of these polymers were proved by photoinduced birefringence measurements because side‐on structure permitted the two azo groups in the bisazobenzene chromophores both participated in the trans–cis–trans photoisomerization cycles equally to induce the whole chromophore reorientation. Furthermore, the reorientation axis located at the middle of chromophore decreased the sweep volume during photoalignment. The impetus for this study was to evaluate the photoisomerization and photoalignment process of side‐on bisazobenzene‐containing polymers and to find possible applications in the photosensitive devices. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3460–3472, 2007     

Preparation of optical active polydiacetylene through gelating and the control of supramolecular chirality

Achiral diacetylene 10,12-pentacosadinoic acid (PCDA) and a chiral low-molecular-weight organogelator could form co-gel in organic solvent and it could be polymerized in the presence of Zn(II) ion or in the corresponding xerogel under UV-irradiation. Optically active polydiacetylene (PDA) were subsequently obtained. Supramolecular chirality of PDA could be controlled by the chirality of gelators. Left-handed and right-handed helical fibers were obtained by using Land D-gelators in xerogels respectively, and...     

Investigation on the temperature effect of a mixed vesicle composed of polydiacetylene and BODIPY 558

BODIPY 558 is an insensitive fluorescent reagent to temperature. But when it is inserted into polydiacetylene (PDA) vesicles, the resultant complex presents a considerable temperature effect. In this article, we reported the temperature-dependent fluorescence intensity of a vesicle-based sensor constructed by PDA and BODIPY fluorescent probe. The fluorescence of BODIPY was considerably quenched in the polymerized diacetylene lipid membrane, but recovered by increasing the temperature of vesicle solution. The mechanism of quenching was detailedly investigated, and we deduced that the fluorescence quenching and recovery were associated with the conjugated conformation of the PDA backbone.     

Soluble poly(diacetylene)s using the perfluorophenyl-phenyl motif as a supramolecular synthon

A series of diacetylene monomers with benzoyl, 4-hexylbenzoyl, 4-dodecylbenzoyl, and perfluorobenzoyl substituents were synthesized and investigated with respect to their crystal structures and polymerizability. In the absence of perfluorophenyl-phenyl interactions, the crystal structures of related alkylated and nonalkylated derivatives were substantially different and dominated by the phase segregation between the alkylated side chains and the diaryl-substituted diacetylene cores. By contrast, the perfluorophenyl-phenyl interactions served as a reliable supramolecular synthon in that they persisted in the crystal structures of different alkylated and nonalkylated derivatives. The packing of the diacetylene functions was appropriate for a topochemical polymerization in these cases, and the perfluorophenyl-phenyl interaction determined the polymerization direction. As a result, soluble alternating diacetylene copolymers were obtained which were further characterized with solution phase methods.     

Helical polymer-anchored porphyrin nanorods

Well-defined arrays of porphyrins attached to a rigid polyisocyanide backbone have been synthesized and their physical and optical properties studied. The helical polymers are rigidified by an inter-side chain hydrogen-bonded network and have an average mass of 1.1 x 10(6) Daltons and a polydispersity index of 1.3. Each of the polymer strands contains four columns of around 200 stacked porphyrins and has an overall length of 87 nm. The chromophores are arranged in a left-handed helical fashion along the polymer backbone. Photophysical studies show that at least 25 porphyrins within one column are excitationally coupled.     

Optical properties of a polydiacetylene crystal: poly-[1,6-di(N-carbazolyl)-2,4-hexadiyne]

Normal incidence reflection spectra and Kramers-Kronig transforms are reported for a polydiacetylene crystal, DCHD (substituent group: N-carbazolymethyl). The lowest energy optical transition for the polymer backbone is found at 15 300 cm^?1, the lowest value obtained thus far for a polydiacetylene. The polymer chain and the carbazolyl substituent group may be treated as isolated chromophores - the former dominating the visible portion of the spectra and the latter dominating the UV portion. Polarization studies for the (001) and (10$\text{1}\text{?}$) faces of DCHD permit unambiguous assignment of the two lowest energy transitions in the carbazolyl group at 28 750 cm^?1 and 33 250 cm^?1 as short- and long-axis polarized, respectively.     

Helical Folding of Conjugated Oligo(phenyleneethynylene): Chain‐Length Dependence,Solvent Effects,and Intermolecular Assembly

As a representative folding system that features a conjugated backbone, a series of monodispersed (o‐phenyleneethynylene)‐alt‐(p‐phenyleneethynylene) (PE) oligomers of varied chain length and different side chains were studied. Molecules with the same backbone but different side‐chain structures were shown to exhibit similar helical conformations in respectively suitable solvents. Specifically, oligomers with dodecyloxy side chains folded into the helical structure in apolar aliphatic solvents, whereas an analogous oligomer with tri(ethylene glycol) (Tg) side chains adopted the same conformation in polar solvents. The fact that the oligomers with the same backbone manifested a similar folded conformation independent of side chains and the nature of the solvent confirmed the concept that the driving force for folding was the intramolecular aromatic stacking and solvophobic interactions. Although all were capable of inducing folding, different solvents were shown to bestow slightly varied folding stability. The chain‐length dependence study revealed a nonlinear correlation between the folding stability with backbone chain length. A critical size of approximately 10 PE units was identified for the system, beyond which folding occurred. This observation corroborated the helical nature of the folded structure. Remarkably, based on the absorption and emission spectra, the effective conjugation length of the system extended more effectively under the folded state than under random conformations. Moreover, as evidenced by the optical spectra and dynamic light‐scattering studies, intermolecular association took place among the helical oligomers with Tg side chains in aqueous solution. The demonstrated ability of such a conjugated foldamer in self‐assembling into hierarchical supramolecular structures promises application potential for the system.     

Liposome solubilization induced by complexation with dimeric β-cyclodextrin

Dimeric β-cyclodextrins (β-CD) were prepared from the reaction of native β-CD with epichlorohydrin under basic conditions, and the effects on the diacetylene (DA) and polydiacetylene (PDA) liposomes have been investigated. Vesicular DA was solubilized in the presence of dimeric β-CD with the consequent inhibition of polymerization. The result is attributed to the formation of a complex between dimeric β-CD and DA liposomes, and it is clearly differentiated from that of monomeric β-CD. Furthermore, the ordered supramolecular structure of PDA was perturbed by the dimeric β-CD, which was detected from the visible color change. Finally, the morphological characteristics and size of PDA in the absence and presence of dimeric β-CD were examined using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering The results show fused structure of size more than 200 nm along with the deformation of the vesicles, and they represent a novel phenomenon of liposome structure induced by complexation with dimeric β-CD. The evaluated physicochemical characteristics can be applied to the development of carbohydrate-based detergents.     

Photopolymerization of diacetylene-capped gold nanoparticles

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) coated with the diacetylene henicosa-10,12-diyn-1-yl (DS9) disulfide were successfully prepared by direct synthesis in toluene solutions. The average size of the nanohybrid metal core was finely adjusted by manipulation of the preparative conditions in the diameter range from 1.6 to 7.5 nm, as determined by TEM characterization. The topochemical polymerization of DS9 chemisorbed onto the gold nanoclusters of different size was carried out in colloidal suspensions by exposure to UV radiation and the process was monitored by UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopies. The results showed that in these assemblies the monomer undergoes an intra-particle polymerization and that the dominant polydiacetylene phase present is ruled by the core size. The deposition of the photoirradiated colloids onto different substrates was found to leave the polydiacetylene conjugation unaltered.     

圆偏振光在手性聚合物合成与结构调控中的应用

手性是自然界中普遍存在的有趣现象之一,在生命体中手性大分子特有的不对称结构在维持生命过程、新陈代谢和进化等面均起着决定性作用.受此启发,合成具有新型结构的光学活性聚合物,研究其独特的物理化学性质和功能已成为当今高分子领域研究的热点.左旋和右旋的圆偏振光已被广泛应用于氨基酸衍生物的不对称光合成、光分解和去消旋化反应,以及诱导含有偶氮苯或三苯胺等特定功能基团的超分子组装体或无机纳米粒子形成稳定螺旋结构.本文详细地介绍了圆偏振光辐照在手性聚合物合成与螺旋结构调控中的应用,初步揭示了圆偏振光的作用机制以及优势,归纳总结了已取得的研究进展,并对圆偏振光在手性聚合物合成与结构调控中的应用及发展进行了简单的评述和展望.     

1,4‐Addition polymerization of 1,4‐bis(4‐benzylpyridinium)butadiyne triflate in a dipolar aprotic solvent

1,4‐Bis(4‐benzylpyridinium)butadiyne triflate was aggregated in dimethylformamide and spontaneously converted into the 1,4‐addition type of polydiacetylene. The polymerization took place in a dipolar aprotic solvent with a large dielectric constant that could enhance the aggregation of the ionic diacetylene salt through the electrostatic interaction. The molecular weight of the diacetylene was leveled off after 30 h at 80 °C to reach 1.5 × 10⁴ (number‐average molecular weight) that consisted of the 1,4‐addition type of polydiacetylene similar to polydiacetylenes obtained in the conventional solid‐state polymerization. Electron spin resonance spectra revealed that diradicals were generated at the earlier state aggregation to give rise to a solution polymerization. The UV spectra also suggested the presence of the activated aggregation associated with the polymerization as well as the eximer emission spectra. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 3534–3541, 2002     

Helical supramolecular self-assembly by prolamide thymidine/uridine analogues

This report describes the syntheses of rationally designed non-sugar nucleoside as prolamide nucleosides which contain prolyl ring and pyrimidine nucleobases (uracil/thymine) via acetamide bonds. These nucleosides have propensity to form distinctive self-assembly supramolecular helical structures ubiquitously through Watson-Crick/reverse type of hydrogen bonding with nucleobases. Moreover, the prolyl acetamide backbone groups- carbonyl (-C = O) and hydroxyl (-OH) group, are also involved in strengthening of self-assembled helical structures. Importantly, both prolamide thymidine and prolamide uridine have shown two distinctive helical structural patterns, in spite of containing the same backbone. Hence thymine and uracil moieties of prolamide nucleosides are responsible for unique supramolecular helical structural architectures.     

Organized multilayers of polydiacetylenes prepared by electrostatic self-assembly

New types of polydiacetylene multilayer are presented. The first type is based on electrostatic self-organization of diacetylene bolaamphiphiles and polyelectrolytes on a charged substrate followed by subsequent ultraviolet (UV) polymerization. The second type is prepared by direct adsorption of a water soluble polydiacetylene and a polyelectrolyte in alternating sequence. The monomeric diacetylenes are of general formula X(CH₂)₉CCC C(CH₂)₉X, with X being a sulfate (1a), phosphate (2) or pyridinium (3) head group. The polydiacetylene (1b) chosen for the multilayer is obtained by γ irradiation of the corresponding diacetylene monomer 1a. It is found that all diacetylene derivatives are well suited for building up self-assembled multilayers and that two of the monomers (1a, 2) can be polymerized on the substrate, while 3 is photo-inactive. The morphology of the multilayers is studied by scanning force microscopy and discussed. The smoothest surface topology is found for multilayers built up from the polydiacetylene 1b and a cationic polyelectrolyte in alternating sequence, while the largest unevenness is found when the anionic diacetylene 1a is alternatingly adsorbed with the cationic bolaamphiphile 3 followed by subsequent UV polymerization on the substrate.     

Transfer, amplification, and inversion of helical chirality mediated by concerted interactions of C3-supramolecular dendrimers

The synthesis, structural, and retrostructural analysis of two libraries containing 16 first and second generation C(3)-symmetric self-assembling dendrimers based on dendrons connected at their apex via trisesters and trisamides of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid is reported. A combination of X-ray diffraction and CD/UV analysis methods demonstrated that their C(3)-symmetry modulates different degrees of packing on the periphery of supramolecular structures that are responsible for the formation of chiral helical supramolecular columns and spheres self-organizable in a diversity of three-dimensional (3D) columnar, tetragonal, and cubic lattices. Two of these periodic arrays, a 3D columnar hexagonal superlattice and a 3D columnar simple orthorhombic chiral lattice with P222(1) symmetry, are unprecedented for supramolecular dendrimers. A thermal-reversible inversion of chirality was discovered in helical supramolecular columns. This inversion is induced, on heating, by the change in symmetry from a 3D columnar simple orthorhombic chiral lattice to a 3D columnar hexagonal array and, on cooling, by the change in symmetry from a 2D hexagonal to a 2D centered rectangular lattice, both exhibiting intracolumnar order. A first-order transition from coupled columns with long helical pitch, to weakly or uncorrelated columns with short helical pitch that generates a molecular rotator, was also discovered. The torsion angles of the molecular rotator are proportional to the change in temperature, and this effect is amplified in the case of the C(3)-symmetric trisamide supramolecular dendrimers forming H-bonds along their column. The structural changes reported here can be used to design complex functions based on helical supramolecular dendrimers with different degree of packing on their periphery.