From Capsule to Helix: Guest-Induced Superstructures of Chiral Macrocycle Crystals
- 16 September 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Chemical Society (ACS) in Journal of the American Chemical Society
- Vol. 142 (37), 15823-15829
- https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.0c05776
Abstract
Predicting, controlling, understanding, and elucidating the phase transition from gel to crystal are highly important for the development of various functional materials with macroscopic properties. Here, we show a detailed and systematic description of the self-assembly process of an enantiopure trianglimine macrocyclic host from gel to single crystals. This proceeds via an unprecedented formation of capsule-like or right-handed helix superstructures as metastable products, depending on the nature of the guest molecule. Mesitylene promotes the formation of capsule-like superstructures, whereas toluene results in the formation of helices as intermediates during the course of crystallization. Single-crystal results demonstrate that the crystals obtained via the direct self-assembly from the gel phase are different from the crystals obtained from the stepwise assembly of the intermediate superstructures. Hence, investigating the phase-transition superstructures that self-assemble through the process of crystallization can unravel new molecular ordering with unexplored host-guest interactions. Such understanding will provide further tools to control hierarchical assemblies at the molecular level and consequently design or dictate the properties of evolved materials.Funding Information
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
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