Non-Covalent Interactions Directed Supramolecular Helices from H-bonded Building Blocks

Abstract

Chemists have developed sophisticated structural monomers and meticulously regulated the strength and directionality of non-covalent interactions to assemble a variety of novel supramolecular helices in accordance with the second strategy, resulting in significant research advancements. These investigations not only enhance our comprehension of the supramolecular assembly process but also inspire innovative approaches for the development of supramolecular materials and related domains within materials chemistry. In the strategy for constructing supramolecular helices, utilizing non-covalent interactions between monomers as a bonding force is an effective method for further assembling monomeric units with H-bonded meniscus structures into helical configurations. Hydrogen and and halogen bonds represent two distinct categories of non-covalent interactions that have increasingly attracted scholarly attention in recent years, demonstrating extensive and significant applications in the assembly of diverse supramolecular topologies. This paper provides a summary of several instances where these interactions facilitate the self-assembly of supramolecular helices. Moreover, although the development of chalcogen bonding has emerged relatively recently compared to their counterparts, and despite their limited application in complex assembly structures, they have nonetheless been effectively employed in the construction of supramolecular helices.