Self-assembly behaviors of the cholesteryl trimeric-phenylene vinylene derivative in the H2O/THF system

Cholesteryl trimeric phenylene vinylene (Chol-TPV) has been synthesized and characterized. The self-assembly behaviors of Chol-TPV in THF/H2O system at different water content (water content: 40% and 80%) and different solute concentration (solute concentration: 1.0 × 10−5 mol/L and saturated concentration) were studied using UV–vis spectrophotometry, photoluminescence spectrophotometry, and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Based on an analysis of the UV–vis and photoluminescence spectra, Chol-TPV shows the typical H-type aggregation at saturated concentration in 80% aqueous THF. However, Chol-TPV shows the non-typical H-type aggregation under other conditions. The circular dichroism signal suggests that the Chol-TPV exists in the right handed helical architectures with high water content at a concentration of 1.0 × 10−5 mol/L, and a helix inversion was found at saturated concentration.

Graphical abstractWhen the water content increases, cholesteryl trimeric p-phenylene vinylene changes from the molecular dispersion into the right-handed helical architectures at a solute concentration of 1.0 × 10−5 mol/L. When the solute concentration rises from 1.0 × 10−5 mol/L to 1.0 × 10−3 mol/L, the molecular aggregation changes from the right-handed helical architectures into the left-handed helical architectures with the increase of water content.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide