Consequences of conformational flexibility in hydrogen-bond-driven self-assembly processes.

We report the synthesis and self-assembly of chiral, conformationally flexible C3-symmetrical trisamides. A strong Cotton effect is observed for the supramolecular polymers in linear alkanes but not in cyclic alkanes. MD simulations suggest 2 : 1 conformations of the amides within the aggregates in both types of solvents, but a chiral bias in only linear alkanes.

Exposing Differences in Monomer Exchange Rates of Multicomponent Supramolecular Polymers in Water.

The formation of multicomponent and bioactive supramolecular polymers is a promising strategy for the formation of biomaterials that match the dynamic and responsive nature of biological systems. In order to fully realize the potential of this strategy, knowledge of the location and behavior of bioactive components within the system is crucial. By employing synthetic strategies to create multifunctional monomers, coupled with FRET and STORM techniques, we have investigated the formation and behavior of a bioactive and multicomponent supramolecular polymer.