Packing Biomolecules into Sierpiński Triangles with Global Organizational Chirality

J Am Chem Soc. 2021 Sep 15;143(36):14417-14421. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c05949. Epub 2021 Aug 13.

Abstract

Fractals are found in nature and play important roles in biological functions. However, it is challenging to controllably prepare biomolecule fractals. In this study, a series of Sierpiński triangles with global organizational chirality is successfully constructed by the coassembly of l-tryptophan and 1,3-bi(4-pyridyl)benzene molecules on Ag(111). The chirality is switched when replacing l-tryptophan by d-tryptophan. The fractal structures are characterized by low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy at the single-molecule level. Density functional theory calculations reveal that intermolecular hydrogen bonds stabilize the Sierpiński triangles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Benzene Derivatives / chemistry*
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Fractals*
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Models, Chemical
  • Pyridines / chemistry*
  • Radioisotopes / chemistry
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Tryptophan / chemistry*

Substances

  • Benzene Derivatives
  • Pyridines
  • Radioisotopes
  • Silver-111
  • Silver
  • Tryptophan