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Discordant supramolecular fibres reversibly depolymerised by temperature and light.
Journal article

Discordant supramolecular fibres reversibly depolymerised by temperature and light.

  • Gerth M Utrecht University: Universiteit Utrecht, CHemistry, Padualaan 8, 3584CH, Utrecht, NETHERLANDS.
  • Berrocal JA University of Fribourg: Universite de Fribourg, Adolphe Merkle Institute, SWITZERLAND.
  • Bochicchio D University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switserland Northwestern Switzerland Academy of Art and Design: Fachhochschule Nordwestschweiz Hochschule fur Gestaltung und Kunst, Innovative Technologies, SWITZERLAND.
  • Pavan GM Politecnico di Torino, Department of Applied Science and Technology, ITALY.
  • Voets IK Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Den Dolech 2, 5612 AZ, Eindhoven, NETHERLANDS.
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  • 2020-11-11
Published in:
  • Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany). - 2020
Supramolecular polymer Photoswitch Responsive Photoisomerisation Benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide
English Synthetic stimuli responsive supramolecular polymers attract increasing interest for their ability to mimic the unique properties of natural assemblies. Here we focus on the well-studied benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) motif, and substitute it with two (S)-3,7-dimethyloctyl groups and an azobenzene photoswitch. We demonstrate the UV ( λ = 365 nm) induced depolymerisation of the helical hydrogen-bonded polymers in methylcyclohexane (MCH) through circular dichroism and UV-vis spectroscopy in dilute solution (15 μM), and NMR and iPAINT super-resolution microscopy in concentrated solution (300 μM). Repeated depolymerisation can be reversed without degradation by irradiating at λ = 455 nm. Molecular dynamics simulations show that the most energetically favourable configuration for these polymers in MCH is a left-handed helical network of hydrogen-bonds between the BTA cores surrounded by two right-handed helices of azobenzenes, which is experimentally recovered after depolymerisation. The responsiveness to two orthogonal triggers across a broad concentration range holds promise for use in e.g. photo-responsive gelation.
Language
  • English
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hybrid
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https://sonar.ch/global/documents/193924
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