Volume 54, Issue 45 pp. 13204-13207
Communication

A Hollow Foldecture with Truncated Trigonal Bipyramid Shape from the Self-Assembly of an 11-Helical Foldamer

Jae-Hoon Eom

Jae-Hoon Eom

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Jintaek Gong

Jintaek Gong

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Dr. Sunbum Kwon

Dr. Sunbum Kwon

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Dr. Aram Jeon

Dr. Aram Jeon

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Rokam Jeong

Rokam Jeong

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Dr. Russell W. Driver

Dr. Russell W. Driver

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

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Prof. Dr. Hee-Seung Lee

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Hee-Seung Lee

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.kr

Department of Chemistry, KAIST, Molecular-Level Interface Research Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea) http://hslee.kaist.ac.krSearch for more papers by this author
First published: 27 August 2015
Citations: 21

Graphical Abstract

Gigantic molecular containers: The self-assembly of an 11-helical foldamer provided highly crystalline, hollow foldectures with truncated trigonal bipyramid shape. These foldectures are molecular hosts in a way reminiscent of a biological microcompartment.

Abstract

The creation of self-assembling microscale architectures that possess new and useful physical properties remains a significant challenge. Herein we report that an 11-helical foldamer self-assembles in a controlled manner to form a series of 3D foldectures with unusual three-fold symmetrical shapes that are distinct from those generated from 12-helical foldamers. The foldamer packing motif was revealed by powder X-ray diffraction technique, and provides an important link between the molecular-level symmetry and the microscale morphologies. The utility of foldectures with hollow interiors as robust and well-defined supramolecular hosts was demonstrated for inorganic, organic, and even protein guests. This work will pave the way for the design of functional foldectures with greater 3D shape diversity and for the development of biocompatible delivery vehicles and containment vessels.

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