Macromolecular Rapid Communications, Vol.34, No.19, 1530-1536, 2013
From Random Coil Polymers to Helical Structures Induced by Carbon Nanotubes and Supramolecular Interactions
A simple method is reported for the preparation of double-helical structures through a series of achiral random and block copolymers poly(styrene-co-4-vinylbenzyl triazolylmethyl methylthymine) (PS-co-PVBT) with various T units on the side chains through click reactions of poly(styrene-co-4-vinylbenzyl azide) (PS-co-PVBN3) with propargyl thymine (PT) and also the synthesis of the A-appended pyrene derivative (A-Py) through click chemistry. This double-helical structure is observed from achiral random-coil polystyrene (PS) main chains, stabilized through the combination of multiple A-T hydrogen bonds, and - stacking between pyrene units and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).
Keywords:carbon nanotube;helical structures;multiple hydrogen bonding;-Stacking;supramolecular chemistry