Chiral Amplification in Polymer Brushes Consisting of Dynamic Helical Polymer Chains through the Long-Range Communication of Stereochemical Information

Abstract

The efficient hierarchical amplification of macromolecular helicity has been achieved through the long-range transfer of chiral information in polymer brushes consisting of a dynamically racemic helical poly(phenylacetylene) backbone and poly(phenyl isocyanate) pendants. The partial introduction of an optically active group at the pendant terminus, which was situated approximately 27 bond lengths (ca. >4 nm) away from the polyacetylene backbone, allowed for the transmission of stereochemical information to the polyacetylene backbone. This transfer of information induced a helical chirality in the polyacetylene backbone, which biased the helical handedness of the polyisocyanate pendants devoid of an optically active terminal group.