Emerging Two-Dimensional Crystallization of Cucurbit[8]uril Complexes: From Supramolecular Polymers to Nanofibers

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society
• Main Author: Barrio J.D.; Liu J.; Brady R.A.; Tan C.S.Y.; Chiodini S.; Ricci M.; Fernández-Leiro R.; Tsai C.-J.; Vasileiadi P.; Di Michele L.; Lairez D.; Toprakcioglu C.; Scherman O.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Chemical Society 2019
• Online Access: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85072056668&doi=10.1021%2fjacs.9b07506&partnerID=40&md5=3c23148ac873f4cd162b023f5a4b49b9

The binding of imidazolium salts to cucurbit[8]uril, CB[8], triggers a stepwise self-assembly process with semiflexible polymer chains and crystalline nanostructures as early- A nd late-stage species, respectively. In such a process, which involves the crystallization of the host-guest complexes, the guest plays a critical role in directing self-assembly toward desirable morphologies. These include platelet-like aggregates and two-dimensional (2D) fibers, which, moreover, exhibit viscoelastic and lyotropic properties. Our observations provide a deeper understanding of the self-assembly of CB[8] complexes, with fundamental implications in the design of functional 2D systems and crystalline materials. Copyright © 2019 American Chemical Society.