A chirality indicator for the walls and the surfaces of silica nanotubes

Single-handed helical silica nanotubes were prepared according to the literature procedures, using the self-assemblies of a pair of chiral cationic low-molecular-weight gelators as the templates. A chirality indicator, 4,4'-bis(triethoxysilyl)-1,1'-biphenyl, was developed to determine the chirality of the silica nanotubes. The chirality of the surfaces and the bulky walls of the silica nanotubes were understood from the twist of the biphenylene rings. (C) 2013 Bao-Zong Li. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.