Synthesis and supramolecular self-assembly of coil-rod-coil molecules: the relationship between self-assembled nanostructures and molecular structures.

Herein, the relationship between the supramolecularly self-assembled nanostructures and the chemical structures of coil-rod-coil molecules is discussed. A series of nonamphiphilic coil-rod-coil molecules with different alkyl chains, central mesogenic groups, and chemical linkers were designed and synthesized. The solvent-mediated supramolecular self-assembling of these coil-rod-coil molecules resulted in rolled-up nanotubes, nanofibers, submicron sized belts, needle-like microcrystals, and amorphous structures. The self-assembling behaviors of these coil-rod-coil molecules have been systematically investigated to reveal the relationship between the supramolecularly self-assembled nanostructures and their chemical structures. With respect to the formation of rolled-up nanotubes by self-assembly of coil-rod-coil molecules, we have systematically investigated the following three influencing structural factors: 1) the alkyl chain length; 2) the central mesogenic group; (3) the linker type. These studies disclosed the key structural features of coil-rod-coil molecules for the formation of rolled-up nanotubes.