Liquid‐Crystalline Supramolecular Polymers Formed through Complementary Nucleobase‐Pair Interactions

We report how the placement of nucleobase units, thymine, or N ⁶‐(4‐methoxybenzoyl)adenine, onto the ends of a mesogenic core, bis‐4‐alkoxy‐substituted bis(phenylethynyl)benzene, affects the properties of these materials. We show that addition of these bulky polar groups significantly reduces the range of liquid‐crystalline behavior of these compounds. However, mixing two complementary nucleobase‐containing AA‐ and BB‐type monomer units together does result in the formation of stable, thermotropic liquid‐crystalline (LC) phases. Hydrogen bonding is shown to play an important role in the formation of these LC phases, consistent with the formation of oligomeric or polymeric hydrogen‐bonded aggregates. X‐ray analyses of these mixed materials are consistent with the formation of smectic C phases.     

High‐Density Liquid‐Crystalline Polymer Brushes Formed by Surface Segregation and Self‐Assembly

High‐density polymer brushes on substrates exhibit unique properties and functions stemming from the extended conformations due to the surface constraint. To date, such chain organizations have been mostly attained by synthetic strategies of surface‐initiated living polymerization. We show herein a new method to prepare a high‐density polymer brush architecture using surface segregation and self‐assembly of diblock copolymers containing a side‐chain liquid‐crystalline polymer (SCLCP). The surface segregation is attained from a film of an amorphous base polymer (polystyrene, PS) containing a minor amount of a SCLCP‐PS diblock copolymer upon annealing above the glass‐transition temperature. The polystyrene portion of the diblock copolymer can work as a laterally mobile anchor for the favorable self‐assembly on the polystyrene base film.     

Reversible Switching of the Shear Modulus of Photoresponsive Liquid‐Crystalline Polymers

Manipulation makes light work : The morphology and rheological properties of a liquid‐crystalline system can be dynamically manipulated with UV light by attaching photoresponsive liquid‐crystalline moieties to a siloxane‐based polymer. Stimulation with UV light induces a conformational change in the molecule, which disrupts the liquid‐crystalline mesophase (see picture), and results in a dramatic change in its rheological properties.

     

Herringbone and Helical Self‐Assembly of π‐Conjugated Molecules in the Solid State through CH/π Hydrogen Bonds

Self‐organization of organic molecules through weak noncovalent forces such as CH/π interactions and creation of large hierarchical supramolecular structures in the solid state are at the very early stage of research. The present study reports direct evidence for CH/π interaction driven hierarchical self‐assembly in π‐conjugated molecules based on custom‐designed oligophenylenevinylenes (OPVs) whose structures differ only in the number of carbon atoms in the tails. Single‐crystal X‐ray structures were resolved for these OPV synthons and the existence of long‐range multiple‐arm CH/π interactions was revealed in the crystal lattices. Alignment of these π‐conjugated OPVs in the solid state was found to be crucial in producing either right‐handed herringbone packing in the crystal or left‐handed helices in the liquid‐crystalline mesophase. Pitch‐ and roll‐angle displacements of OPV chromophores were determined to trace the effect of the molecular inclination on the ordering of hierarchical structures. Furthermore, circular dichroism studies on the OPVs were carried out in the aligned helical structures to prove the existence of molecular self‐assembly. Thus, the present strategy opens up new approaches in supramolecular chemistry based on weak CH/π hydrogen bonding, more specifically in π‐conjugated materials.     

Photomobile Polymer Materials: Photoresponsive Behavior of Cross‐Linked Liquid‐Crystalline Polymers with Mesomorphic Diarylethenes

Cross‐linked liquid‐crystalline (LC) polymers with a mesomorphic diarylethene were prepared to demonstrate a versatile strategy for cross‐linked photochromic LC polymers as photomobile materials. Upon exposure to UV light to cause photocyclization of the diarylethene chromophore, the cross‐linked polymer films bend toward an actinic light source. By irradiation with visible light to cause a closed‐ring to open‐ring isomerization, the bent films revert to the initial flat state. Without visible‐light irradiation, the bent films remain bent even at 120 °C, indicating high thermal stability of the cross‐linked diarylethene LC polymers.     

Monodisperse Cylindrical Micelles of Controlled Length with a Liquid‐Crystalline Perfluorinated Core by 1D “Self‐Seeding”

Precise control over the morphology and dimensions of block copolymer (BCP) micelles has attracted interest due to the potential of this approach to generate functional nanostructures. Incorporation of liquid crystalline (LC) block can provide additional ways to vary micellar morphologies, but the formation of uniform micelles with controllable dimensions from LC BCPs has not yet been realized. Herein, we report the preparation of monodisperse cylindrical micelles with a LC poly(2‐(perfluorooctyl)ethyl methacrylate (PFMA) core via a fragmentation‐thermal annealing (F‐TA) process, resembling the “self‐seeding” process of crystalline BCP micelles. The average length of the cylinders increases with annealing temperature, with a narrow length distribution (L_w/L_n<1.1). We also demonstrate the potential application of the cylinders with LC cores as a cargo‐carrier by the successful incorporation of a hydrophobic fluorescent dye tagged with a fluorooctyl group.     

“Synthetic Metals”: A Novel Role for Organic Polymers (Nobel Lecture)

Since the initial discovery in 1977, that polyacetylene (CH)_x, now commonly known as the prototype conducting polymer, could be p‐ or n‐doped either chemically or electrochemically to the metallic state, the development of the field of conducting polymers has continued to accelerate at an unexpectedly rapid rate and a variety of other conducting polymers and their derivatives have been discovered. Other types of doping are also possible, such as “photo‐doping” and “charge‐injection doping” in which no counter dopant ion is involved. One exciting challenge is the development of low‐cost disposable plastic/paper electronic devices. Conventional inorganic conductors, such as metals, and semiconductors, such as silicon, commonly require multiple etching and lithographic steps in fabricating them for use in electronic devices. The number of processing and etching steps involved limits the minimum price. On the other hand, conducting polymers combine many advantages of plastics, for example, flexibility and processing from solution, with the additional advantage of conductivity in the metallic or semiconducting regimes; however, the lack of simple methods to obtain inexpensive conductive polymer shapes/patterns limit many applications. Herein is described a novel, simple, and cheap method to prepare patterns of conducting polymers by a process which we term, “Line Patterning”.     

Supramolecular Polymer Network‐Mediated Self‐Assembly of Semicrystalline Polymers with Excellent Crystalline Performance

A novel application of supramolecular interactions within semicrystalline polymers, capable of self‐assembling into supramolecular polymer networks via self‐complementary multiple hydrogen‐bonded complexes, is demonstrated for efficient construction of highly controlled self‐organizing hierarchical structures to offer a direct, efficient nucleation pathway resulting in superior crystallization performance. Herein, a novel functionalized poly(ε‐caprolactone) containing self‐complementary sextuple hydrogen‐bonded uracil‐diamidopyridine (U‐DPy) moieties is successfully developed and demonstrated excellent thermal and viscoelastic properties as well as high dynamic structural stability in the bulk state due to physical cross‐linking created by reversible sextuple hydrogen bonding between U‐DPy units. Due to the ability to vary the extent of the reversible network by tuning the U‐DPy content, this newly developed material can be readily adjusted to obtain the desired crystalline products with specific characteristics. Importantly, incorporating only 0.1% U‐DPy resulted in a polymer with a high crystallization rate constant, short crystallization half‐time, and much more rapid crystallization kinetics than pristine PCL, indicating a low content of U‐DPy moieties provides highly efficient nucleation sites that manipulate the nucleation and growth processes of polymer crystals to promote crystallization and chain alignment in bulk. This new system is suggested as a potential new route to substantially improve the performance of polymer crystallization.

     

Design,Synthesis, and Self‐Assembly Behavior of Liquid‐Crystalline Bis‐[60]Fullerodendrimers

Bis‐[60]fullerodendrimers were synthesized by assembling [60]fullerene‐containing type I (terminal olefin) and type II (α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl olefin) olefins through the olefin cross‐metathesis reaction. The synthetic modular approach developed in this study allowed the preparation of mono‐[60]fullerodendrimers and their [60]fullerene‐free analogues. First‐ and second‐generation poly(aryl ester) dendrons carrying cyanobiphenyl mesogens were used as liquid‐crystalline promoters. The liquid‐crystalline properties were studied by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering. In agreement with the nature and structure of the dendrimers, nematic, smectic, and multisegregated lamellar phases were observed. Owing to its versatility and tolerance towards many functional groups, olefin cross‐metathesis proved to be a reaction of choice for the elaboration of molecular materials with complex architectures.     

Self‐Assembly of Chiral Propeller‐like Supermolecules with Unusual “Sergeants‐and‐Soldiers” and “Majority‐Rules” Effects

Chiral amplification is an interesting phenomenon in supramolecular chemistry mainly observed in complicated systems in which cooperative effect dominate. Herein, chiral, supramolecular, propeller‐like architectures have been constructed through coassembly of an achiral disk‐shaped molecule and chiral amino acid derivatives driven by intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Both the “sergeants‐and‐soldiers” principle and “majority‐rules” effect are applicable in these discrete four‐component supermolecules, which are the simplest supramolecular system ever reported that exhibit chiral amplification.     

Ln3+‐Mediated Self‐Assembly of a Collagen Peptide into Luminescent Banded Helical Nanoropes

Design of biomimetic peptides to achieve the desired properties of natural collagen has much potential to build functional biomaterials. A collagen‐peptide/Ln³⁺ system has been constructed and self‐assembled to form helical nanoropes with a distinct periodic banding pattern characteristic of natural collagen. The fully reversible self‐assembly is specifically mediated by lanthanide ions, but not by other commonly used divalent metal ions. Lanthanide ions not only provide an external biocompatible stimulus of the assembly, but also play as a functional unit to endow the assembled materials with easily tunable photoluminescence. To our knowledge, this is the first report of collagen‐peptide‐based materials with exquisite nanorope structure and excellent photoluminescent features. These novel luminescent nanomaterials may have great potential in cell imaging, medical diagnostics, and luminescent scaffolds for cell cultivation.     

Liquid‐Crystalline Properties of trans‐A2B2‐Porphyrins with Extended π‐Electron Systems

Incorporation of four trialkoxyphenyl substituents combined with extending the π‐conjugated system has allowed porphyrins to display liquid‐crystalline columnar phases at room temperature. 2D and 3D columnar structures were observed as well as a biaxial smectic phase.     

Two‐Component Self‐Assembly: Hierarchical Formation of pH‐Switchable Supramolecular Networks by π–π Induced Aggregation of Ion Pairs

Two‐component self‐assembly is a promising approach to construct functional nanomaterials. Interaction of a flexible guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole tetra‐cation ( 1 ) with naphthalene diimide dicarboxylic acid (NDIDC) in aqueous DMSO leads to the formation of supramolecular networks. First, the carboxylate groups of NDIDC bind to the guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole cations of 1 in a 1:2 stoichiometry. Further π–π induced aggregation then leads to 3D networks, as established by dynamic light scattering studies (DLS), NMR, fluorescence titration, viscosity measurements, AFM, and TEM microscopy. Due to ion pairing, the resulting aggregates can be switched between the monomers and the aggregates reversibly using external stimuli like protonation or deprotonation. At high concentration, a stable colloidal solution is formed, which shows an extensive Tyndall effect. Increasing the concentrations even further leads to formation of a supramolecular gel.     

Desymmetrization of 3,3′‐Bis(acylamino)‐2,2′‐bipyridine‐Based Discotics: The High Fidelity of Their Self‐Assembly Behavior in the Liquid‐Crystalline State and in Solution

Two novel nonsymmetrical disc‐shaped molecules 1 and 2 based on 3,3′‐bis(acylamino)‐2,2′‐bipyridine units were synthesized by means of a statistical approach. Discotic 1 possesses six chiral dihydrocitronellyl tails and one peripheral phenyl group, whereas discotic 2 possesses six linear dodecyloxy tails and one peripheral pyridyl group. Preorganization by strong intramolecular hydrogen bonding and subsequent aromatic interactions induce self‐assembly of the discotics. Liquid crystallinity of 1 and 2 was determined with the aid of polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and X‐ray diffraction. Two columnar rectangular mesophases (Col_r) have been identified, whereas for C₃‐symmetrical derivatives only one Col_r mesophase has been found. 1 In solution, the molecularly dissolved state in chloroform was studied with ¹H NMR spectroscopy, whereas the self‐assembled state in apolar solution was examined with optical spectroscopy. Remarkably, these desymmetrized discotics, which lack one aliphatic wedge, behave similar to the symmetric parent compound. To prove that the stacking behavior of discotics 1 and 2 is similar to that of reported C₃‐symmetrical derivatives, a mixing experiment of chiral 1 with C₃‐symmetrical 13 has been undertaken; it has shown that they indeed belong to one type of self‐assembly. This helical J‐type self‐assembly was further confirmed with UV/Vis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Eventually, disc 2 , functionalized with a hydrogen‐bonding acceptor moiety, might perform secondary interactions with molecules such as acids.     

On the Origin of the “Giant” Electroclinic Effect in a “De Vries”‐Type Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Material for Chirality Sensing Applications

W415 is a chiral smectic compound with a remarkably weak temperature dependence of its giant electroclinic effect in the liquid crystalline smectic A* phase. Furthermore it possesses a high spontaneous polarization in the smectic C* phase. The origin of this striking electroclinic effect is the co‐occurrence of a de Vries‐type ordering with a weak first‐order tilting transition (see the synchroton X‐ray scattering profiles).