Mechanochemical Encapsulation of Fullerenes in Peptidic Containers Prepared by Dynamic Chiral Self‐Sorting and Self‐Assembly

Molecular capsules composed of amino acid or peptide derivatives connected to resorcin[4]arene scaffolds through acylhydrazone linkers have been synthesized using dynamic covalent chemistry (DCC) and hydrogen‐bond‐based self‐assembly. The dynamic character of the linkers and the preference of the peptides towards self‐assembly into β‐barrel‐type motifs lead to the spontaneous amplification of formation of homochiral capsules from mixtures of different substrates. The capsules have cavities of around 800 ų and exhibit good kinetic stability. Although they retain their dynamic character, which allows processes such as chiral self‐sorting and chiral self‐assembly to operate with high fidelity, guest complexation is hindered in solution. However, the quantitative complexation of even very large guests, such as fullerene C₆₀ or C₇₀, is possible through the utilization of reversible covalent bonds or the application of mechanochemical methods. The NMR spectra show the influence of the chiral environment on the symmetry of the fullerene molecules, which results in the differentiation of diastereotopic carbon atoms for C₇₀, and the X‐ray structures provide unique information on the modes of peptide–fullerene interactions.     

Homochiral Supramolecular M2L4 Cages by High‐Fidelity Self‐Sorting of Chiral Ligands

A 1,1′‐binaphthyl‐based bis(pyridine) ligand ( 1 ) was prepared in racemic and enantiomerically pure form to study the formation of [Pd₂( 1 )₄] complexes upon coordination to palladium(II) ions with regard to the degree of chiral self‐sorting. The self‐assembly process proceeds in a highly selective narcissistic self‐recognition manner to give only homochiral supramolecular M₂L₄ cages, which were characterized by ESI‐MS, NMR, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy, as well as by single‐crystal XRD analysis.     

Self‐Assembly Studies of a Chiral Bisurea‐Based Superhydrogelator

A chiral bisurea‐based superhydrogelator that is capable of forming supramolecular hydrogels at concentrations as low as 0.2 mM is reported. This soft material has been characterized by thermal studies, rheology, X‐ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and by various spectroscopic techniques (electronic and vibrational circular dichroism and by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy). The expression of chirality on the molecular and supramolecular levels has been studied and a clear amplification of its chirality into the achiral analogue has been observed. Furthermore, thermal analysis showed that the hydrogelation of compound 1 has a high response to temperature, which corresponds to an enthalpy‐driven self‐assembly process. These particular thermal characteristics make these materials easy to handle for soft‐application technologies.     

Unexpected Self‐Sorting Self‐Assembly Formation of a [4:4] Sulfate:Ligand Cage from a Preorganized Tripodal Urea Ligand

The design and synthesis of tripodal ligands 1 – 3 based upon the N‐methyl‐1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxamide platform appended with three aryl urea arms is reported. This ligand platform gives rise to highly preorganized structures and is ideally suited for binding SO₄^2? and H₂PO₄^? ions through multiple hydrogen‐bonding interactions. The solid‐state crystal structures of 1 – 3 with SO₄^2? show the encapsulation of a single anion within a cage structure, whereas the crystal structure of 1 with H₂PO₄^? showed that two anions are encapsulated. We further demonstrate that ligand 4 , based on the same platform but consisting of two bis‐urea moieties and a single ammonium moiety, also recognizes SO₄^2? to form a self‐assembled capsule with [4:4] SO₄^2?: 4 stoichiometry in which the anions are clustered within a cavity formed by the four ligands. This is the first example of a self‐sorting self‐assembled capsule where four tetrahedrally arranged SO₄^2? ions are embedded within a hydrophobic cavity.     

Self‐Assembly in Helical Columnar Mesophases and Luminescence of Chiral 1H‐Pyrazoles

Chiral polycatenar 1H‐pyrazoles self‐assemble to form columnar mesophases that are stable at room temperature. X‐ray diffraction and CD studies in the mesophase indicate a supramolecular helical organization consisting of stacked H‐bonded dimers. The liquid‐crystalline compounds reported are 3,5‐bis(dialkoxyphenyl)‐1H‐pyrazoles that incorporate two or four dihydrocitronellyl chiral tails. It can be observed that the grafting of these branched chiral substituents onto the 3,5‐diphenyl‐1H‐pyrazole core has a beneficial role in inducing mesomorphism, because isomeric linear‐chain compounds are not liquid crystalline; this is not the usual scheme of behavior. Furthermore, the molecular chirality is transferred to the columnar mesophase, because preferential helical arrangements are observed. Films of the compounds are luminescent at room temperature and constitute an example of the self‐organization of nondiscoid units into columnar liquid‐crystalline assemblies in which the functional molecular unit transfers its properties to a hierarchically built superstructure.     

Supramolecular Polymerization Promoted and Controlled through Self‐Sorting

A new method in which supramolecular polymerization is promoted and controlled through self‐sorting is reported. The bifunctional monomer containing p‐phenylene and naphthalene moieties was prepared. Supramolecular polymerization is promoted by selective recognition between the p‐phenylene group and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]), and 2:1 complexation of the naphthalene groups with cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]). The process can be controlled by tuning the CB[7] content. This development will enrich the field of supramolecular polymers with important advances towards the realization of molecular‐weight and structural control.     

A Self‐Sorting Scheme Based on Tetra‐Urea Calix[4]arenes

Size and shape do matter : When dimerized in nonpolar solvents, an equimolar mixture of eleven tetra‐urea calix[4]arenes with different wide‐rim substituents self‐sorts into only six out of 35 different homo‐ and heterodimers (see picture). Since the calixarene scaffold and the four urea units are the same in all cases, the self‐sorting process is driven only by the cooperative action of steric requirements and stoichiometry.

     

Oligopeptide‐Assisted Self‐Assembly of Oligothiophenes: Co‐Assembly and Chirality Transfer

The biomolecule‐assisted self‐assembly of semiconductive molecules has been developed recently for the formation of potential bio‐based functional materials. Oligopeptide‐assisted self‐assembly of oligothiophene through weak intermolecular interactions was investigated; specifically the self‐assembly and chirality‐transfer behavior of achiral oligothiophenes in the presence of an oligopeptide with a strong tendency to form β‐sheets. Two kinds of oligothiophenes without (QT) or with (QTDA) carboxylic groups were selected to explore the effect of the end functional group on self‐assembly and chirality transfer. In both cases, organogels were formed. However, the assembly behavior of QT was quite different from that of QTDA. It was found that QT formed an organogel with the oligopeptide and co‐assembled into chiral nanostructures. Conversely, although QTDA also formed a gel with the oligopeptide, it has a strong tendency to self‐assemble independently. However, during the formation of the xerogel, the chirality of the oligopeptide can also be transferred to the QTDA assemblies. Different assembly models were proposed to explain the assembly behavior.     

Solvent‐Dependent Self‐Assembly Behaviour and Speciation Control of Pd6L8 Metallo‐supramolecular Cages

The C₃‐symmetric chiral propylated host‐type ligands (±)‐tris(isonicotinoyl)‐tris(propyl)‐cyclotricatechylene ( L1 ) and (±)‐tris(4‐pyridyl‐4‐benzoxy)‐tris(propyl)‐cyclotricatechylene ( L2 ) self‐assemble with Pd^II into [Pd₆L₈]¹²⁺ metallo‐cages that resemble a stella octangula. The self‐assembly of the [Pd₆( L1 )₈]¹²⁺ cage is solvent‐dependent; broad NMR resonances and a disordered crystal structure indicate no chiral self‐sorting of the ligand enantiomers in DMSO solution, but sharp NMR resonances occur in MeCN or MeNO₂. The [Pd₆( L1 )₈]¹²⁺ cage is observed to be less favourable in the presence of additional ligand, than is its counterpart, where L=(±)‐tris(isonicotinoyl)cyclotriguaiacylene ( L1 a ). The stoichiometry of reactant mixtures and chemical triggers can be used to control formation of mixtures of homoleptic or heteroleptic [Pd₆L₈]¹²⁺ metallo‐cages where L= L1 and L1 a .     

Self‐Assembled Ultralong Chiral Nanotubes and Tuning of Their Chirality Through the Mixing of Enantiomeric Components

Enantiomeric L ‐ or D ‐glutamic acid based lipids were designed and their self‐assembly was investigated. It was found that at a certain concentration, either L ‐ or D ‐enantiomeric derivatives could self‐assemble in absolute alcohol to form a white organogel, which was composed of ultralong nanotubes with an aspect ratio higher than 1000. Further investigations revealed that these nanotubes were in chiral forms. The chirality of the nanotubes was determined by that of the enantiomers employed. In addition, when D and L enantiomers were mixed in different ratios, the nanotube could be tuned consecutively from nanotubes with a helical seam to nanotwists, the chirality of which being determined by the excess enantiomer in the mixed systems. In the case of an equimolar mixture of the enantiomers, flat nanoplates instead of helical nanotubes or nanotwists were obtained. The FTIR vibrational data and XRD layer‐distance values showed a consecutive change as a function of the enantiomeric excess. It was further revealed that the slightly stronger interaction between D –L enantiomeric pairs than that between D –D or L –L pairs was responsible for the formation of the diverse self‐assembled nanostructures.     

Self‐Discriminating Termination of Chiral Supramolecular Polymerization: Tuning the Length of Nanofibers

Directing the supramolecular polymerization towards a preferred type of organization is extremely important in the design of functional soft materials. Proposed herein is a simple methodology to tune the length and optical chirality of supramolecular polymers formed from a chiral bichromophoric binaphthalene by the control of enantiomeric excess (ee). The enantiopure compound gave thin fibers longer than a few microns, while the racemic mixture favored the formation of nanoparticles. The thermodynamic study unveils that the heterochiral assembly gets preference over the homochiral assembly. The stronger heterochiral binding over homochiral one terminated the elongation of fibrous assembly, thus leading to a control over the length of fibers in the nonracemic mixtures. The supramolecular polymerization driven by π–π interactions highlights the effect of the geometry of a twisted π‐core on this self‐sorting assembly.     

Zn2+‐Regulated Self‐Sorting and Mixing of Phosphates and Carboxylates on the Surface of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles

Herein, we describe the self‐sorting of phosphate‐ and carboxylate‐containing molecules on the surface of monolayer‐protected gold nanoparticles. Self‐sorting is driven by selective interactions between the phosphate probe and Zn²⁺ complexes in one monolayer; these interactions force the carboxylate probe to move to a second type of nanoparticle. This process effectively separates the probes and causes their localization in well‐defined spaces surrounding the nanoparticles. The removal/addition of Zn²⁺ metal ions from the system is used to convert the system from an ordered to a disordered state and vice versa. The possibility to control the location and transport of populations of molecules in a complex mixture creates new perspectives for the development of innovative complex catalytic systems that mimic nature.     

Multicomponent Supramolecular Systems: Self‐Organization in Coordination‐Driven Self‐Assembly

The self‐organization of multicomponent supramolecular systems involving a variety of two‐dimensional (2 D) polygons and three‐dimensional (3 D) cages is presented. Nine self‐organizing systems, SS₁ – SS₉ , have been studied. Each involves the simultaneous mixing of organoplatinum acceptors and pyridyl donors of varying geometry and their selective self‐assembly into three to four specific 2 D (rectangular, triangular, and rhomboid) and/or 3 D (triangular prism and distorted and nondistorted trigonal bipyramidal) supramolecules. The formation of these discrete structures is characterized using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). In all cases, the self‐organization process is directed by: 1) the geometric information encoded within the molecular subunits and 2) a thermodynamically driven dynamic self‐correction process. The result is the selective self‐assembly of multiple discrete products from a randomly formed complex. The influence of key experimental variables ‐ temperature and solvent ‐ on the self‐correction process and the fidelity of the resulting self‐organization systems is also described.     

Unique Twisted Ribbons Generated by Self‐Assembly of Oligo(p‐phenylene ethylene) Bearing Dimeric Bile Acid Pendant Groups

Let's twist again! Remarkable broad and twisted ribbons were generated from the self‐assembly of oligo(p‐ phenylene ethylene) (OPE) bearing dimeric deoxycholic acid pendant groups (see graphic). Varying the bile acid led to nanostructures with drastically different morphologies. The distinctive aggregate shapes of these steroid–OPE conjugates are attributed to the subtle differences in their molecular structures.