Kinetic insight into supramolecular polymerization allows for the control over self-assembled nanostructures. For example, we have recently achieved living supramolecular polymerization, which enabled us to synthesize supramolecular polymers with controlled length and narrow polydispersity.[1,2] This method is expected to lead to the synthesis of supramolecular block copolymers, yet doing so remains a great challenge. Herein, supramolecular copolymerization of two different porphyrin derivatives complexed with either zinc or copper (1TZn or 1TCu, respectively) as metal core was investigated. These two different porpyrins can coassemble because of their structural similarity. Through the seeded-growth approach, which we have previously established[1,2], we succeeded in the extension of the block of 1TCu stack from the 1TZn seed, thereby creating the supramolecular block copolymer (1TCu-1TZn-1TCu) Interestingly, the end-capped supramolecular block copolymer (1TCu-1TZn-1TCu) showed the enhanced kinetic stability in comparison with non-protected supramolecular polymer at terminal part (1TZn-1TZn-1TZn) against axial ligand (DMAP). We believe that this approach will expand the understanding on kinetic insight and potential application of supramolecular polymerization.
[1] S. Ogi, K. Sugiyasu, S. Manna, S. Samitsu, M. Takeuchi, Nat. Chem., 2014, 6, 188-195.
[2] T. Fukui, S. Kawai, S. Fujinuma, Y. Matsushita, T. Yasuda, T. Sakurai, S. Seki, M. Takeuchi, K. Sugiyasu, Nat. Chem., 2017, 9, 493-499. |