Homochiral versus Heterochiral Dimeric Helical Foldamer Bundles: Chlorinated-Solvent-Dependent Self-Sorting

Abstract

Aromatic oligoamide sequences programmed to fold into stable helical conformations were designed to display a linear array of hydrogen-bond donors and acceptors at their surface. Sequences were prepared by solid-phase synthesis. Solution 1H NMR spectroscopic studies and solid-state crystallographic structures demonstrated the formation of stable hydrogen-bond-mediated dimeric helix bundles that could be either heterochiral (with a P and an M helix) or homochiral (with two P or two M helices). Formation of the hetero- or homochiral dimers could be driven quantitatively using different chlorinated solvents—exemplifying a remarkable case of either social or narcissistic chiral self-sorting or upon imposing absolute handedness to the helices to forbid PM species.