Self-organization in Hybrid Supramolecular Polymers

Nanosized supramolecular materials have received increasing attention during the last two decades. Their properties have been surveyed for their ability to form aggregates in the solution phase, which form channel-like arrays in the solid state, and which ultimately form single channels in planar bilayer membranes. These systems therefore illustrate, in general, the convergence of supramolecular selforganization and supramolecular function. 

The weak supramolecular interactions (H-bonds, coordination or van der Waals interactions, etc.) positioning the molecular components to give the supramolecular architectures are typically several orders of magnitude less robust than the cross-linked covalent bonds formed in a specific polymerization process. Accordingly, the sole solution to overcome these difficulties is to improve the binding (association) efficiency of the molecular components generating supramolecular assemblies. At least in theory, an increased number of interaction moieties and the selection of the 

1 Self-organization by Base Pairing in Hybrid Supramoiecuiar Polymers 

Oligomerization of nucleobases can be advantageous to reinforce the H-bonding supramolecular motifs when supramacromolecular polymers are desired. Moreover the different interconverting outputs that may form by oligomerization define a dynamic polyfunctional diversity which may be extracted selectively under the intrinsic stability of the system or by interaction with external factors by polymerization in the solid state. 

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