Helix-sense-controlled synthesis of optically active poly(methyl methacrylate) stereocomplexes

J Am Chem Soc. 2008 Sep 10;130(36):11889-91. doi: 10.1021/ja8048805. Epub 2008 Aug 14.

Abstract

Optically active poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) stereocomplexes were prepared through the helix-sense-controlled supramolecular inclusion of an isotactic (it) PMMA within the helical cavity of an optically active, fullerene-encapsulated syndiotactic (st) PMMA with a macromolecular helicity memory. The observed and calculated vibrational circular dichroism spectra revealed that the it-PMMA replaced the encapsulated fullerenes to fold into a double-stranded helix with the same handedness as that of the st-PMMA single helix through the formation of a topological triple-stranded helix.