Supramolecular Kandinsky circles with high antibacterial activity

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nested concentric architectures are prevalent in nature and engineered systems.
• Constructing discrete nested architectures at the supramolecular level remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and assemble novel giant nested supramolecules (Kandinsky circles) across three generations (G2-G4).
• To investigate the self-assembly behavior and potential applications of these supramolecules.

Main Methods:

• Modular synthesis of nested supramolecules via consecutive condensation of amine precursors and pyrylium salts.
• Characterization of supramolecular structures with varying molecular weights (17,964–38,352 Da).
• Analysis of hierarchical self-assembly into tubular nanostructures.

Main Results:

• Successfully designed and assembled three generations of giant nested supramolecules.
• Demonstrated hierarchical self-assembly of these supramolecules into tubular nanostructures.
• Nested supramolecules exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Conclusions:

• The developed modular synthesis enables the creation of complex, discrete nested supramolecular architectures.
• These novel supramolecules possess potent antimicrobial properties against Gram-positive bacteria.
• The synthesized Kandinsky circles show negligible toxicity to eukaryotic cells, highlighting their therapeutic potential.