Dynamic Control of Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Conjugated Alkenes in Water by Reactions

Nature sets a great example of how to precisely control self-assembly to obtain distinct structures upon external stimuli and perform specific functions to sustain important biological tasks. In the present study, we report the design and control of self-assembly of an amphiphilic conjugated alkene in water. The morphologies of the self-assembled structures are highly dependent on the anions. The hydrophilic tosylate group can trigger the formation of nanotubes, while the less-hydrophilic inorganic bromide generates vesicles. The interchange of the two different structures can be controlled by employing different anions combined with a couple of reactions that act as signals. The result shown here provides an important tool for manipulating self-assembled behaviors in water and paves the way toward more complex systems.