Twisting Chiral Aggregation‐Induced Emission Macrocycles into a Microhelix with Boosted Circularly Polarized Luminescence

S Sipeng Wang (Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences and CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid Interface and Thermodynamics Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences North First Street 2 Zhongguancun Beijing 100190 China) S Shengfu Wu (Key Laboratory of Colloid Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Zhongguancun North First Street 2 Beijing 100190 China) R Runjia Wang J Jie Lu M Minghua Liu (CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 2 North First Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China)

Abstract

Abstract The design and assembly of chiral macrocycles remain an underexplored frontier in supramolecular science. In this study, we synthesized a pair of enantiomeric macrocyclic molecules (CP1) through the condensation of chiral cyclohexanediamine with tetraphenylethylene (TPE) dialdehyde. These molecules exhibited remarkable circular dichroism (CD) and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) properties at the supramolecular level. Through supramolecular assembly in mixed solvent systems, we achieved a rare micron‐scale helical structure, exhibiting a high luminescence dissymmetry factor ( g lum ) of 0.32—one of the highest values reported to date for macrocyclic self‐assemblies. Furthermore, by designing a chiral macrocycle with phenyl spacers (CP2), we revealed that the confinement of macrocycles and restricted internal molecular rotation are critical for achieving high g lum values and helical structure formation. This work not only advances the design of chiral macrocycles but also provides new insights into the relationship between molecular structure and supramolecular assembly, paving the way for the development of advanced chiral materials with potential applications in optics, sensing, and nanotechnology.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 33
Published August 11, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (5)

S

Sipeng Wang

Beijing National Laboratory of Molecular Sciences and CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid Interface and Thermodynamics Institute of Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences North First Street 2 Zhongguancun Beijing 100190 China

S

Shengfu Wu

Key Laboratory of Colloid Interface and Chemical Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences Zhongguancun North First Street 2 Beijing 100190 China

R

Runjia Wang

J

Jie Lu

M

Minghua Liu

CAS Key Laboratory of Colloid, Interface and Thermodynamics, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 2 North First Street, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China