CEJ Cover Image Self-Assembly of Folic Acid Derivatives: Induction of Supramolecular Chirality by Hierarchical Chiral Structures, Chem. Eur. J., 10, 5942 (2004).

In design of supramolecular materials, it is important to elucidate the structure-property relashionships of molecules to induce desired functions.
In the present study, we have developed folic acid derivatives having hierarchical chiral structures at oligo(glutamic acid) moieties. Their self-assembled structures are examined in the liquid-crystalline and in the dilute solution states. The chiral columnar supramolecular structures can be tuned by means of the presence of ions, polarity of the solvents, and subtle chiral structural differences of the molecules.