Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Polymer chemistry

Crystallography

Crystal structure

Supramolecular polymers

Fullerene

Physical therapy

Chemistry

Materials science

Dumbbell

Polymerization

Supramolecular chemistry

Polymer

Medicine

Fullerene chemistry

Journal of the American Chemical Society

To date, supramolecular chemistry techniques have been applied to fullerene polymer synthesis, enabling the development of main-chain fullerene polymers whose primary structure is well regulated, including linear, dendritic, and net-like fullerene arrays. These research achievements have led to an intriguing scientific challenge to create main-chain fullerene polymers with higher structural regulation. Here, we report the fabrication of a helically organized fullerene array based on the supramolecular polymerization of chiral ditopic tetrakiscalix[5]arene hosts and a dumbbell-shaped fullerene. The molecular association between the chiral hosts and the dumbbell-shaped fullerene resulted in sizable supramolecular polymers in solution, with the highest degree of polymerization of more than 32. The achiral dumbbell-shaped fullerene exhibited circular dichroism in the π–π* transition bands arising from the fullerene moieties through supramolecular polymerization. End-capping experiments of the supramolecular helical polymers showed that the chirally twisted conformation of the dumbbell-shaped fullerene was directed by supramolecular polymerization. Finally, the helical morphology of the supramolecular polymer chain was visualized by atomic force microscopy. The successful development of helical main-chain fullerene polymers would break new ground in fullerene chemistry.

Helically Organized Fullerene Array in a Supramolecular Polymer Main Chain