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Updated: Aug 20, 2025

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly
Published on: February 6, 2020
Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of Complexes Constructed from Two Helical Ligands: Synthesis, Structures, and
Chao Huang1, Hua-Qing Tian1, Rong-Feng Li1
1Key Laboratory of Macrocyclic and Supramolecular Chemistry of Guizhou Province, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
Abstract:
Two helical ligands (L and L) were designed and synthesized by a Schiff base condensation reaction. Eight complexes, {[Zn(L)I2]·H2O} (1), [Cd2(L)2I4(CH3OH)2] (2), [Hg2(L)2I4] (3), [Ag(L)NO3] (4), [Ag2(L)2(NO3)2DMSO]·H2O (5), {[Zn2(L)2Cl4]·2CHCl3} (6), {[Ag(L)]·NO3} (7), and {[Ag(L)NO3]·CH3OH} (8), were synthesized and characterized based on these two ligands. The crystal structures show that both Schiff base compounds exist as racemic ligands with equal amounts of P- and M-helicity, and the assembly of these racemic ligands with metal ions can lead to homochiral or heterochiral complexes via a chiral self-recognition or self-discrimination process. Complexes 2, 3, and 5 exist as heterochiral metallomacrocycles with a figure-eight conformation. Complexes 1, 6, and 8 exist as one-dimensional (1D) homochiral helical chain coordination polymers, while complexes 4 and 7 exist as 1D heterochiral helical chain coordination polymers. Furthermore, gas and vapor adsorption measurements show that all of the synthesized complexes exhibit good selective adsorption capacities toward methanol and ethanol vapor over N2, H2, and O2.
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