Photo-conversion of self-assembled structures into continuous covalent structures via [2 + 2]-cycloaddition reactions.

In this study, the conversion of self-assembled structures into continuous polymeric structures by linking the self-assembled molecules using the [2 + 2]-cycloaddition reaction was investigated. Synthesized bio-inspired thymine-based bolaamphiphilic molecules were designed to force the interactions between two molecules to engage two thymines in their self-assembled structure to undergo a cycloaddition reaction. Thymine-based bolaamphiphilic molecules were designed and synthesized using different phenylene spacers based on aromatic substituents (ortho-) (meta-) (para-).