A General Approach for Synthesis of Circularly Assembled Supramolecular Polymers by Means of Region-confined Amphiphilic Supramolecular Polymerization

Topological supramolecular polymers are responsible for design of innovative materials with unique physical properties but remain a challenging task to prepare by means of supramolecular polymerization. In this contribution, we present a novel method of region-confined amphiphilic supramolecular polymerization (RASP) in a controllable two-step self-organization pathway, which was certified by a new type of pyridine-oxadiazole alternating 48-membered macrocycles with structurally regional distribution of distinct self-assembling groups that can self-organize into circular supramolecular architectures. Meanwhile, water molecule plays a crucial role in RASP, and the water content in nonpolar solvent chloroform is sensitive to trigger controllable amphiphilic self-organization. Moreover, differing from the traditional rodlike micelles formed by self-assembly of linearly amphiphilic molecules, this approach of RASP exclusively gives rise to the formation of circularly assembled supramolecular polymers.

Automated summary

This article presents a novel method of region-confined amphiphilic supramolecular polymerization (RASP) in a controllable two-step self-organization pathway, leading to the formation of circularly assembled supramolecular polymers. Water molecule plays a crucial role in RASP, and the water content in nonpolar solvent chloroform is sensitive to trigger controllable amphiphilic self-organization.