Self-assembly of amphiphilic linear diblock rod-coil molecules by hydrogen bond and π-π stacking interactions

Aromatic amphiphilic molecules (1) consisting of three biphenyl groups linked together with ether bonds as a rigid rod segment and poly(ethylene oxide) with the number of repeating units of 17 as a coil segment were synthesized, and their self-assembly behavior in the bulk state and aqueous solution was investigated. In bulk, molecules 1 self-assembled into 1-D lamellar structure in the solid state or smectic A phase in the liquid crystalline phase via the cooperative effects of π-π stacking, micro-phase separation and hydrogen bond interactions. In dilute aqueous solutions, molecules 1 were observed to self-assemble into cylindrical micelles owned uniform diameter and length of hundreds of nanometers.