The aqueous self-assembly of oligopeptide-flanked pi-conjugated molecules into discrete one-dimensional nanostructures is described. Unique to these molecules is the fact that the pi-conjugated unit has been directly embedded within the peptide backbone by way of a synthetic amino acid with pi-functionality that is compatible with standard Fmoc-based peptide synthesis. The peptide-based molecular design enforces intimate pi-pi communication within the aggregate after charge-screening and self-assembly, making these nanostructures attractive for optical or electronic applications in biological environments. The synthesis and assembly are reported along with spectroscopic and morphological characterization of the new nanomaterials.
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