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Supramolecular Depolymerization in the Mixture of Two Poor Solvents: Mechanistic Insights and Modulation of Supramolecular Polymerization of Ionic π-Systems
S. Kotha, M.F.J. Mabesoone, D. Srideep, R. Sahu, S.K. Reddy,
Published in Wiley-VCH Verlag
2021
PMID: 33247874
Volume: 60
   
Issue: 10
Pages: 5459 - 5466
Abstract
Solvents are fundamentally essential for the synthesis and processing of soft materials. Supramolecular polymers (SPs), an emerging class of soft materials, are usually stable in single and mixtures of poor solvents. In contrast to these preconceived notions, here we report the depolymerization of SPs in the mixture of two poor solvents. This surprising behavior was observed for well-known cationic perylene diimides (cPDIs) in the mixtures of water and amphiphilic organic solvents such as isopropanol (IPA). cPDIs form stable SPs in water and IPA but readily depolymerize into monomers in 50–70 vol% IPA containing water. This is due to the selective solvation of the π-surface of cPDIs by alkyl chains of IPA and ionic side chains by water, as evidenced by molecular dynamic simulations. Moreover, by systematically changing the ratio between water and amphiphilic organic solvent, we could achieve an unprecedented supramolecular polymerization both by increasing and decreasing the solvent polarity. © 2020 Wiley-VCH GmbH
About the journal
JournalData powered by TypesetAngewandte Chemie - International Edition
PublisherData powered by TypesetWiley-VCH Verlag
ISSN14337851