Premium
Supramolecular Depolymerization in the Mixture of Two Poor Solvents: Mechanistic Insights and Modulation of Supramolecular Polymerization of Ionic π‐Systems
Author(s) -
Kotha Srinu,
Mabesoone Mathijs F. J.,
Srideep Dasari,
Sahu Rahul,
Reddy Sandeep K.,
Rao Kotagiri Venkata
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202011977
Subject(s) - solvophobic , supramolecular chemistry , depolymerization , monomer , chemistry , polymerization , cationic polymerization , amphiphile , ionic liquid , polymer chemistry , supramolecular polymers , alkyl , solvent , ionic bonding , polymer , organic chemistry , molecule , copolymer , catalysis , ion
Solvents are fundamentally essential for the synthesis and processing of soft materials. Supramolecular polymers (SPs), an emerging class of soft materials, are usually stable in single and mixtures of poor solvents. In contrast to these preconceived notions, here we report the depolymerization of SPs in the mixture of two poor solvents. This surprising behavior was observed for well‐known cationic perylene diimides ( c PDIs ) in the mixtures of water and amphiphilic organic solvents such as isopropanol (IPA). c PDIs form stable SPs in water and IPA but readily depolymerize into monomers in 50–70 vol% IPA containing water. This is due to the selective solvation of the π‐surface of c PDIs by alkyl chains of IPA and ionic side chains by water, as evidenced by molecular dynamic simulations. Moreover, by systematically changing the ratio between water and amphiphilic organic solvent, we could achieve an unprecedented supramolecular polymerization both by increasing and decreasing the solvent polarity.