Exploiting hydrogen bonding to direct supramolecular polymerization at the air/water interface

Abstract

Fluid interfaces provide an advanced platform for directed self-assembly of organic composites and formation of supramolecular polymers (SPs). Intermolecular interactions govern the supramolecular polymerization processes, with hydrogen bonding (H-bonding) as a key interactionin supramolecular chemistry and biology. Two purpose fully designed supra-amphiphiles for assessing the role of H-bonding were designed and their supramolecular polymerization (SP) at the air/water interface was compared. H-bonding was confirmed by in situ experimental and computational techniques as the require dinter molecular interaction for attaining SPs with well-defined molecular arrangement. Control of H-bonding as opposite to traditionally considered interactions (e.g., π-πstacking) is proposed as a success fuls trategy for SP at fluid interfaces.