Archimedean spirals are architectural motifs that are found in nature. The facial asymmetry of amphiphilic molecules or macromolecules has been a key parameter in the preparation of these well-organized two-dimensional nanostructures in the laboratory. This facial asymmetry is also present in the helical grooves of chiral helical meta-substituted poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) and poly(diphenylacetylene)s (PDPAs), making them excellent candidates for self-assembly into 2D Archimedean nanospirals or nanotoroids. The facial asymmetry of the helix groove, with different polarities and hydrophobic/hydrophilic behaviors, impacts the self-assembly of meta-PPAs and meta-PDPAs compared to their para-substituted counterparts, which possess facial symmetry in the helix grooves. As a result, while para-substituted PPAs and para-substituted PDPAs self-assemble by drop-casting on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite to form 2D crystals via parallel packing of helical polymer chains, meta-substituted helical polymers undergo intramolecular self-assembly to create a 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructure from a single polymer chain. The structural parameters obtained for the helical polymer in the 2D crystal and 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructures are identical, indicating that the secondary structure of the polymer remains unchanged in both 2D nanomaterials. This finding regarding the self-assembly of the helical polymer into 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructures allows the preparation of chiral nanostructures with potential applications in asymmetric catalysis, molecular recognition, and other cutting-edge applications.

Archimedean spirals are architectural motifs that are found in nature. The facial asymmetry of amphiphilic molecules or macromolecules has been a key parameter in the preparation of these well-organized two-dimensional nanostructures in the laboratory. This facial asymmetry is also present in the helical grooves of chiral helical meta-substituted poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) and poly(diphenylacetylene)s (PDPAs), making them excellent candidates for self-assembly into 2D Archimedean nanospirals or nanotoroids. The facial asymmetry of the helix groove, with different polarities and hydrophobic/hydrophilic behaviors, impacts the self-assembly of meta-PPAs and meta-PDPAs compared to their para-substituted counterparts, which possess facial symmetry in the helix grooves. As a result, while para-substituted PPAs and para-substituted PDPAs self-assemble by drop-casting on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite to form 2D crystals via parallel packing of helical polymer chains, meta-substituted helical polymers undergo intramolecular self-assembly to create a 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructure from a single polymer chain. The structural parameters obtained for the helical polymer in the 2D crystal and 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructures are identical, indicating that the secondary structure of the polymer remains unchanged in both 2D nanomaterials. This finding regarding the self-assembly of the helical polymer into 2D chiral Archimedean spiral nanostructures allows the preparation of chiral nanostructures with potential applications in asymmetric catalysis, molecular recognition, and other cutting-edge applications.

During DNA replication, the classic double helix can temporarily rearrange into an alternative structure known as a DNA three-way junction (3WJ). These configurations form a well-defined central

Here we report a C3-symmetric metal-binding tripeptide, BTMA-1, that self-assembles in water into either a chiral supramolecular helical polymer or a discrete CoII peptide helicate, depending on metal coordination. The CoII peptide helicate exhibits high affinity and selectivity toward DNA three-way junctions (3WJ), a class of noncanonical DNA structures with emerging biological relevance. Importantly, we demonstrate that the recognition process can be triggered dynamically by adding CoII ions to a dispersion of the supramolecular polymer, which acts as an inert precursor reservoir in physiological media. In this way, our strategy shows that chiral supramolecular helical polymers can form temporarily inactive aggregates that release discrete helicates for biomolecular recognition, such as 3WJ binding, upon metal ion coordination. Overall, this mechanism reveals a previously unexplored capability of this class of materials and offers a new approach for the design of responsive supramolecular systems for nucleic acid recognition and anticancer therapy.

Helical polymer-metal complex nanospheres following a consecutive aggregation pathway allow the creation of chiral polymeric particles capable of memorizing their macroscopic chirality and the proper...

Poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) bearing para-substituted anilide pendant groups are sensitive to the presence of oxidizing metal ions such as Cu2+, Hg 2+, Fe3+, Au3+ or Ce4+ due to a redox reaction betw...

Dynamic helical polymers such as poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) exhibit different asymmetry amplification effects, e.g. helix inversion or screw-sense induction, in the presence of different external ...

Dynamic helical polymers such as poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) exhibit different asymmetry amplification effects, e.g. helix inversion or screw-sense induction, in the presence of different external ...

Poly(phenylacetylene)s (PPAs) bearing para-substituted anilide pendant groups are sensitive to the presence of oxidizing metal ions such as Cu2+, Hg 2+, Fe3+, Au3+ or Ce4+ due to a redox reaction betw...

Helical polymer-metal complex nanospheres following a consecutive aggregation pathway allow the creation of chiral polymeric particles capable of memorizing their macroscopic chirality and the proper...

Supramolecular helical aggregates describing two coaxial helices rotating in the same or opposite direction are obtained from the self-assembly of chiral allenes. The internal helix is described by t...

Supramolecular helical aggregates describing two coaxial helices rotating in the same or opposite direction are obtained from the self-assembly of chiral allenes. The internal helix is described by t...