One-pot asymmetric living copolymerization-induced chiral self-assemblies and circularly polarized luminescence

• Published in: Chemical science (Cambridge) 2024-02, Vol.15 (8), p.2946-2953
• Main Authors: Gao, Run-Tan, Li, Shi-Yi, Liu, Bing-Hao, Chen, Zheng, Liu, Na, Zhou, Li, Wu, Zong-Quan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assemblies; Benzene; Block copolymers; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Circular polarization; Controllability; Copolymerization; Helices; Helicity; Luminescence; Methane; Micelles; Optical activity; Optical properties; Polymerization; Self-assembly
• ISSN: 2041-6520; 2041-6539
• DOI: 10.1039/d3sc06242b

Controlled synthesis of conjugated block polymers enables the optimization of their self-assembly and may lead to distinct optical properties and functionalities. Herein, we report a direct chain extension of one-handed helical poly(acyl methane) with 1-ethynyl-4-iodo-2,5-bis(octyloxy)benzene, affording well-defined π-conjugated poly(acyl methane)- b -poly(phenylene ethynylene) copolymers. Although the distinct monomers are polymerized via different mechanisms, the one-pot copolymerization follows a living polymerization manner, giving the desired optically active block copolymers with controllable molar mass and low distribution. The block copolymerization induced chiral self-assembly simultaneously due to the one-handed helicity of the poly(acyl methane) block, giving spherical nanoparticles, one-handed helices, and chiral micelles with controlled dimensions regarding the composition of the generated copolymers. Interestingly, the chiral assemblies exhibit clear circularly polarized luminescence with tunable handedness and a high dissymmetric factor. Well-defined block copolymers containing helical poly(acyl methane) and π-conjugated poly(phenylene ethynylene)s were facilely prepared, which self-assembly into chiral supramolecular architectures with circularly polarized luminescence.