Sequence-Isomerism-Controlled Macromolecular Self-Assembly in Dendritic Rod-Like Molecules

摘要

Although in Nature sequence controlis widely adoptedto tune thestructure and functions of biomacromolecules, it remains challengingand largely unexplored in synthetic macromolecular systems due tothe difficulties in a precision synthesis, which impedes the understandingof the structure-property relationship in macromolecular sequenceisomerism. Herein, we report the sequence-controlled macromolecularself-assembly enabled by a pair of rationally designed isomeric dendriticrod-like molecules. With an identical chemical formula and moleculartopology, the molecular solid angle of the dendron isomers was determinedby the sequence of the rod building blocks tethered with side chainsof different lengths. As a result, entirely different supramolecularmotifs of discs and spheres were generated, which were further packedinto a hexagonally packed cylinder phase and a dodecagonal quasicrystallinesphere phase, respectively. Given the efficient synthesis and modularstructural variations, it is believed that the sequence-isomerism-controlledself-assembly in dendritic rod-like molecules might provide a uniqueavenue toward rich nanostructures in synthetic macromolecules.

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