Supramolecular helices from helical building blocks via head-to-tail intermolecular interactions

Supramolecular helices from helical building blocks represent an emerging analogue of the alpha-helix. In cases where the helicity of the helical building block is well propagated, the head-to-tail intermolecular interactions that lead to the helix could be enhanced to promote the formation and the stability of the supramolecular helix, wherein homochiral elongation dominates and functional helical channel structures could also be generated. This feature article outlines the supramolecular helices built from helical building blocks, i.e., helical aromatic foldamers and helical short peptides that are held together by intermolecular pi-pi stacking, hydrogen/halogen/chalcogen bonding, metal coordination, dynamic covalent bonding and solvophobic interactions, with emphasis on the influence of efficient propagation of helicity during assembly, favouring homochirality and channel functions.

Automated summary

This feature article discusses the emergence of supramolecular helices built from helical building blocks, highlighting the importance of efficient propagation of helicity during assembly for favoring homochirality and channel functions.