Single Crystal to Single Crystal Polymerization of a Self-Assembled Diacetylene Macrocycle Affords Columnar Polydiacetylenes

This manuscript describes a single-crystal-to-single-crystal polymerization of the dihydrate of diacetylene 1 (1·2H2O) to give an unusual polydiacetylene (PDA) structure that consists of aligned nanotubes, with each covalently bonded nanotube having two parallel PDA chains that run parallel down opposite sides of a channel defined by the macrocycle. Each PDA nanotube is connected with four other columns via amide hydrogen bonds with an N-(H)···O distance of 2.888(4) A. Such well-ordered polymers should display quasi-one-dimensional electronic structures and may be of interest for the formation of highly conductive organic materials. We obtained the 1·2H2O form in bulk, which was polymerized by heating. Powder X-ray diffraction suggests that bulk PDA powder is single phase and displays a similar structure as the PDA single crystals. Furthermore, we showed that PDA crystals absorbed I2 vapor. We believe that this unique PDA structure, which is amenable to property control via adsorbed guests, will be an att...