Decoding the Consequences of Increasing the Size of Self-Assembling Tricarboxamides on Chiral Amplification.

A complete series of experimental and theoretical investigations on the supramolecular polymerization of chiral (1 and 2) and achiral (3) oligo(phenylene ethynylene) tricarboxamides (OPE-TAs) is reported. The performance of seargents-and-soldiers (SaS) and majority rules (MR) experiments has allowed deriving a full set of thermodynamic parameters, including the helix reversal penalty (HRP) and the mismatch penalty (MMP). The results described illustrate the influence exerted by the number of stereogenic centers per monomeric unit and the temperature on the chiral amplification phenomenon. While the HRP decreases upon decreasing the number of chiral side chains, the MMP follows an opposite trend. The experimental trend observed in MR experiments contrasts with that reported for benzenetricarboxamides (BTAs), for which the chiral amplification ability increases by lowering the number of stereogenic centers or increasing the temperature. Theoretical calculations predict that the rotational angle between adjacent monomeric units in the stack (ca. 18°) gradually decreases when decreasing the number of branched chiral side chains and leads to higher MMP values, in good accord with the experimental trend. The reduction of the rotational angle gives rise to less efficient H-bonding interactions between the peripheral amide functional groups and is suggested to provoke a decrease of the HRP as experimentally observed. In BTAs, increasing the number of stereogenic centers per monomeric unit results in a negligible change of the rotation angle between adjacent units (ca. 65°), and, consequently, the steric bulk increases with the number of chiral side chains, leading to higher MMP values. The data presented herein contribute to shed light on the parameters controlling the transfer and amplification of chirality processes in supramolecular polymers, highlighting the enormous influence exerted by the size of the self-assembling unit on the final helical outcome.

Flexible Chirality in Self-Assembled N-Annulated Perylenedicarboxamides.

N-annulated perylenedicarboxamides 1-3 form supramolecular polymers with a strong tendency to aggregate. The bundles of fibers formed generate a spontaneous anisotropy that conditions the chiroptical features of the described molecules in solution; a strong linear dichroism effect accompanies the circular dichroism (CD) outcome. There is no influence of the point chirality existing at the side chains of 1 and 2, and these molecules present the same chiroptical features as achiral 3. Mechanical rotary stirring increases the CD response and the sign of the dichroic signal changes with the stirring direction. Theoretical calculations indicate that the self-assembly of 1-3 in helical columnar stacks generates atropisomers by the restricted rotation of the H-bonded benzamide units. Molecular mechanics/molecular dynamics calculations predict a feasible intrastack stereomutation of the helical aggregates due to the rapid rupture/formation of the amide H-bonds. This oscillating helicity, together with the fact that right- and left-handed helices are predicted to be mostly isoenergetic, justifies the negligible contribution of the molecular chirality embedded in the paraffinic side chains of 1 and 2. The reported CD behavior contributes to shed light on the physical processes promoting flexible macroscopic chirality that, in turn, can be utilized for the spectroscopic visualization of torsional flows generated in a vortex.

Synthesis, electronic properties and WOLED devices of planar phosphorus-containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

We describe the synthesis and the physical properties of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing a phosphorus atom at the edge. In particular, the impact of the successive addition of aromatic rings on the electronic properties was investigated by experimental (UV/Vis absorption, fluorescence, cyclic voltammetry) and theoretical studies (DFT). The physical properties recorded in solution and in the solid state showed that the P-containing PAHs exhibit properties expected for an emitter in white organic light-emitting diodes (WOLEDs).

4-Aryl-3,5-bis(arylethynyl)aryl-4H-1,2,4-triazoles: multitasking skeleton as a self-assembling unit.

The synthesis of a series of 4-aryl-3,5-bis(arylethynyl)aryl-4H-1,2,4-triazoles derivatives is reported and the influence exerted by peripheral substitution on the morphology of the aggregates generated from these 1,2,4-triazoles is investigated by SEM imaging. The presence of paraffinic side chains results in long fibrillar supramolecular structures, but unsubstituted triazoles self-assemble into thinner ribbons and needle-like aggregates. The crystals obtained from methoxy-substituted triazoles have been utilised to elaborate a model that helps to justify aggregation of the investigated 1,2,4-triazoles, in which the operation of arrays of C-H⋅⋅⋅π non-covalent interactions plays a significant role. The results presented herein demonstrate the ability of simple molecules to behave as multitasking scaffolds with different properties, depending on peripheral substitution. Thus, although 1,2,4-triazoles without long paraffinic side chains exhibit optical waveguiding behaviour, triazoles endowed with peripheral paraffinic side chains exhibit hexagonal columnar mesomorphism.

Influence of Axial and Point Chirality in the Chiral Self-Assembly of Twin N-Annulated Perylenecarboxamides.

The synthesis of three bis(N-annulated perylenecarboxamides) endowed with achiral or chiral side chains is reported. The restricted rotation of the perylene moieties yields atropisomers that can be separated by chiral HPLC. The CD spectra of the six stereoisomers show a dichroic pattern in a good solvent that changes drastically upon adding a poor solvent that favors the aggregation. The cooperative character of the supramolecular polymerization mechanism of 1-3 has been determined by denaturation experiments, which reveal that the formation of homochiral aggregates is favored over the formation of heterochiral aggregates. A complete set of amplification of chirality experiments have been carried out, revealing the preponderance of axial chirality over point chirality. The results presented herein shed relevant light on the structural conditions exhibited by molecular units endowed with different elements of asymmetry to generate chiral supramolecular structures and the supremacy of axial chirality over point chirality in the origin of homochirality.

Supramolecular ribbons from amphiphilic trisamides self-assembly.

Two amphiphilic C(3)-symmetric OPE-based trisamides have been synthesized and their self-assembling features investigated in solution and on surface. Variable-temperature UV-vis experiments demonstrate the cooperative supramolecular polymerization of these trisamides that self-assemble by the operation of triple C═O···H-N H-bonding arrays between the amide functional groups and π-π stacking between the aromatic units. The helical organization of the aggregates has been demonstrated by circular dichroism at a concentration as low as 1 × 10(-4) M in acetonitrile. In the reported trisamides, the large hydrophobic aromatic core acts as a solvophobic module impeding the interaction between the polar TEG chains and the amide H-bonds. This strategy makes unnecessary the separation of the amide functional groups to the polar tri(ethylene glycol) chains by paraffinic fragments. Achiral trisamide 1 self-assembles into flat ribbon-like structures that experience an amplification of chirality by the addition of a small amount of chiral 2 that generates twisted stripes.

Transfer and amplification of chirality in Phe-based C3-symmetric non-ionic amphiphiles.

The synthesis of amphiphiles and endowed with three l- or d-Phe units is reported. The chiral features provided by the Phe fragment are transferred to the supramolecular level to yield enantiomerically enriched helices. Additionally, we report herein the first example of amplification of chirality demonstrated by MR performed with supramolecular polymers showing very low degree of cooperativity.

Helical supramolecular polymerization of C3-symmetric amides and retroamides: on the origin of cooperativity and handedness.

The cooperative supramolecular polymerization of 1 and 2 yields P- or M-type helical aggregates depending on the absolute configuration (S or R) of the stereogenic centres attached to the side chains. The connectivity of the amide group does not affect the handedness of the helical aggregates, but determines a larger cooperativity for retroamides 1.

Solvent-dependent disassembly of amphiphilic OPE-based tricarboxamides.

A series of water-compatible C3-symmetric tricarboxamides endowed with a large number of EO side chains separated from the amide groups by different paraffinic linkers has been synthesized. The addition of a small amount of water breaks the N-H···O═C amide H-bonds but induces the formation of aggregates by a solvophobic effect. The lack of highly directional H-bonding interactions results in an isodesmic supramolecular polymerization with a calculated Gibbs free energy of -31.26 and -36.79 kJ mol(-1) for 1 and 3, respectively.

Luminescent and conductive supramolecular polymers obtained from an N-annulated perylenedicarboxamide.

The tunable luminescent features along with the electrical conductivity (~2 × 10(-4) S m(-1)) exhibited by the gel fibers formed through supramolecular polymerisation of the N-annulated perylenedicarboxamide based π-gelator are reported.