2025/06/08 by Shengnan Gao, Min Zhang, Yimin Zhang +2 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Chemistry · Materials Science · #Molecular Sensors and Ion Detection #Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes #Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
paper · doi:10.1002/anie.202509177
openalex publication_date 2025/06/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Abstract Flexible covalent organic pillars ( flex ‐COP‐ n ) are introduced as a family of dual‐open‐ended nanotubular hosts constructed via dynamic imine condensation between pillararene‐derived macrocyclic building blocks and conformationally mobile ─(CH 2 ) n ─ aliphatic linkers. These discrete molecular containers feature well‐defined tubular channels capable of adaptive host–guest interactions. The self‐assembly process exhibits a pronounced odd–even effect, yielding either enantiomeric or meso duplexes through distinct chiral self‐sorting pathways. Host–guest interactions between flex ‐COP‐4 and a series of α,ω‐dibromoalkanes were systematically investigated using NMR spectroscopy and single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography. The resulting inclusion complexes span a continuum of binding modes—from relaxed encapsulation to strained, overpacked assemblies—governed by geometric complementarity and mutual host–guest deformation. These findings highlight the role of conformational flexibility in modulating molecular recognition under nanoscale confinement and establish flex ‐COP‐ n as a dynamic platform for mimicking adaptive features of biological receptors.