A Hollow Foldecture with Truncated Trigonal Bipyramid Shape from the Self-Assembly of an 11-Helical Foldamer

• Published in: Angewandte Chemie International Edition 2015-11, Vol.54 (45), p.13204-13207
• Main Authors: Eom, Jae-Hoon, Gong, Jintaek, Kwon, Sunbum, Jeon, Aram, Jeong, Rokam, Driver, Russell W., Lee, Hee-Seung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Assembling; Biocompatibility; Containment; Containment vessels; Crystal structure; Diffraction; foldamers; hollow nanostructures; host-guest systems; Models, Molecular; molecular architecture; Molecular Conformation; Morphology; Particle Size; Peptides - chemistry; Physical properties; Powder; Powder Diffraction; Protein Folding; Proteins; Proteins - chemistry; Self assembly; Surface Properties; Three dimensional; Utilities; Vehicles; X-ray diffraction; X-rays
• ISSN: 1433-7851; 1521-3773
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.201504248

The creation of self‐assembling microscale architectures that possess new and useful physical properties remains a significant challenge. Herein we report that an 11‐helical foldamer self‐assembles in a controlled manner to form a series of 3D foldectures with unusual three‐fold symmetrical shapes that are distinct from those generated from 12‐helical foldamers. The foldamer packing motif was revealed by powder X‐ray diffraction technique, and provides an important link between the molecular‐level symmetry and the microscale morphologies. The utility of foldectures with hollow interiors as robust and well‐defined supramolecular hosts was demonstrated for inorganic, organic, and even protein guests. This work will pave the way for the design of functional foldectures with greater 3D shape diversity and for the development of biocompatible delivery vehicles and containment vessels. Gigantic molecular containers: The self‐assembly of an 11‐helical foldamer provided highly crystalline, hollow foldectures with truncated trigonal bipyramid shape. These foldectures are molecular hosts in a way reminiscent of a biological microcompartment.