exploited in technological applications [46–49] .Dendronized helical polymers that
are capable of self-organizing into periodical columnar arrays have revealed a
unique capacity to function as molecular machines that can amplify nanoscale
work to macroscopic dimensions [50–52], and that process is the subject of the
remainder of this contribution.
2 Self-Organizable Dendronized Polymer Machines
Self-organizable dendronized polymers include covalent polymers and supramolecular polymers that arrange themselves into periodic or quasiperiodic arrays in
bulk or solution [16, 36]. Self-organization in bulk has been observed, almost
exclusively [16, 53, 54], from dendrons and dendrimers that contain the amphiphilic units shown in Scheme 2a [22, 55–60]. The amphiphilic building blocks
shown in Scheme 2a have a latent propensity to form liquid crystalline mesophases.
Percec and coworkers have meticulously investigated the mesophase structures
observed in libraries of self-assembling dendrons containing the amphiphilic
building blocks in Scheme 2a at their periphery [16, 61–82]. Scheme 2b shows a
survey of the diverse lattices and quasiperiodic arrays that this group has identified.
The mesomorphism of these building blocks is exceptionally robust, and selfassembling dendrons containing the building blocks in Scheme 2a can impart
mesomorphism to a wide range of materials upon dendronization. Polymers
[21, 22], electroactive materials [83–86], photoactive materials [87–89], transition
metal complexes [90–92], peptides [72–79, 93], dendrimers [94–96], fullerenes
[97–102], and inorganic nanoparticles [103, 104] have all been organized in liquid
crystalline arrays due to the mesomorphism of amphiphilic dendrons based on the
building blocks shown in Scheme 2a.
Polymers dendronized with dendrons containing the amphiphilic building
blocks shown in Scheme 2a most frequently self-organize into columnar lattices
(e.g., p6mm) [55, 60, 105], although cubic lattices have also been observed
Scheme 1 Dendronized
polymers contain dendrons
attached to each repeat unit
of a polymer that can
enforce a helical
conformation of the
backbone and yield a
nanoscale cylindrical object
Nanomechanical Function Arising from the Complex Architecture of Dendronized. . .
347
are capable of self-organizing into periodical columnar arrays have revealed a
unique capacity to function as molecular machines that can amplify nanoscale
work to macroscopic dimensions [50–52], and that process is the subject of the
remainder of this contribution.
2 Self-Organizable Dendronized Polymer Machines
Self-organizable dendronized polymers include covalent polymers and supramolecular polymers that arrange themselves into periodic or quasiperiodic arrays in
bulk or solution [16, 36]. Self-organization in bulk has been observed, almost
exclusively [16, 53, 54], from dendrons and dendrimers that contain the amphiphilic units shown in Scheme 2a [22, 55–60]. The amphiphilic building blocks
shown in Scheme 2a have a latent propensity to form liquid crystalline mesophases.
Percec and coworkers have meticulously investigated the mesophase structures
observed in libraries of self-assembling dendrons containing the amphiphilic
building blocks in Scheme 2a at their periphery [16, 61–82]. Scheme 2b shows a
survey of the diverse lattices and quasiperiodic arrays that this group has identified.
The mesomorphism of these building blocks is exceptionally robust, and selfassembling dendrons containing the building blocks in Scheme 2a can impart
mesomorphism to a wide range of materials upon dendronization. Polymers
[21, 22], electroactive materials [83–86], photoactive materials [87–89], transition
metal complexes [90–92], peptides [72–79, 93], dendrimers [94–96], fullerenes
[97–102], and inorganic nanoparticles [103, 104] have all been organized in liquid
crystalline arrays due to the mesomorphism of amphiphilic dendrons based on the
building blocks shown in Scheme 2a.
Polymers dendronized with dendrons containing the amphiphilic building
blocks shown in Scheme 2a most frequently self-organize into columnar lattices
(e.g., p6mm) [55, 60, 105], although cubic lattices have also been observed
Scheme 1 Dendronized
polymers contain dendrons
attached to each repeat unit
of a polymer that can
enforce a helical
conformation of the
backbone and yield a
nanoscale cylindrical object
Nanomechanical Function Arising from the Complex Architecture of Dendronized. . .
347