IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-57059-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Supramolecular rosette intermediated homochiral double helix

Author

Listed:
  • Tiejun Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Dian Niu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Lukang Ji

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Qian Li

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Bo Guan

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hanxiao Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Guanghui Ouyang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Minghua Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Precise organization of organic molecules into homochiral double-helix remains a challenge due to the difficulty in controlling both self-assembly process and chirality transfer across length scales. Here, we report that a type of bisnaphthalene bisurea molecule could assemble into chirality-controlled nanoscale double-helices by a supramolecular rosette-intermediated hierarchical self-assembly mechanism. A solvent-mixing self-assembly protocol is adopted to direct bisnaphthalene bisurea cyclization into chiral discrete rosettes through cooperative intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Controlled hexagonal packing of rosettes at higher concentrations gives one-dimensional single-stranded nanofibers, which intertwine into well-defined double-helix nanostructures with preferred chirality that depends on the absolute configurations of bisnaphthalene bisurea. The hierarchical organization of bisnaphthalene bisurea molecules enables effective excitation energy delocalization within the double-helix, which contributes to near-unity energy transfer from double-helix to adsorbed acceptor dyes even in donor/acceptor ratios over 1000, leading to bright circularly polarized luminescence from the originally achiral acceptor. The experimental and theoretical simulation results not only provide a hierarchical strategy to fabricate homochiral double-helix but also bring insights in understanding the high-efficiency light-harvesting process in photosystem II.

Suggested Citation

  • Tiejun Li & Dian Niu & Lukang Ji & Qian Li & Bo Guan & Hanxiao Wang & Guanghui Ouyang & Minghua Liu, 2025. "Supramolecular rosette intermediated homochiral double helix," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57059-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57059-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57059-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-57059-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Volker Berl & Ivan Huc & Richard G. Khoury & Michael J. Krische & Jean-Marie Lehn, 2000. "Interconversion of single and double helices formed from synthetic molecular strands," Nature, Nature, vol. 407(6805), pages 720-723, October.
    2. Sougata Datta & Yasuki Kato & Seiya Higashiharaguchi & Keisuke Aratsu & Atsushi Isobe & Takuho Saito & Deepak D. Prabhu & Yuichi Kitamoto & Martin J. Hollamby & Andrew J. Smith & Robert Dalgliesh & Na, 2020. "Self-assembled poly-catenanes from supramolecular toroidal building blocks," Nature, Nature, vol. 583(7816), pages 400-405, July.
    3. Georgina Ferry, 2019. "The structure of DNA," Nature, Nature, vol. 575(7781), pages 35-36, November.
    4. Yingwei Li & Meng Zhou & Yongbo Song & Tatsuya Higaki & He Wang & Rongchao Jin, 2021. "Double-helical assembly of heterodimeric nanoclusters into supercrystals," Nature, Nature, vol. 594(7863), pages 380-384, June.
    5. Liguang Xu & Xiuxiu Wang & Weiwei Wang & Maozhong Sun & Won Jin Choi & Ji-Young Kim & Changlong Hao & Si Li & Aihua Qu & Meiru Lu & Xiaoling Wu & Felippe M. Colombari & Weverson R. Gomes & Asdrubal L., 2022. "Enantiomer-dependent immunological response to chiral nanoparticles," Nature, Nature, vol. 601(7893), pages 366-373, January.
    6. Zhiqiang Li & Xiao Liu & Guannan Wang & Bin Li & Hongzhong Chen & Huanrong Li & Yanli Zhao, 2021. "Photoresponsive supramolecular coordination polyelectrolyte as smart anticounterfeiting inks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-8, December.
    7. Qiuhong Cheng & Aiyou Hao & Pengyao Xing, 2021. "A chemosensor-based chiral coassembly with switchable circularly polarized luminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Keisuke Aratsu & Rika Takeya & Brian R. Pauw & Martin J. Hollamby & Yuichi Kitamoto & Nobutaka Shimizu & Hideaki Takagi & Rie Haruki & Shin-ichi Adachi & Shiki Yagai, 2020. "Supramolecular copolymerization driven by integrative self-sorting of hydrogen-bonded rosettes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-12, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yuan Wang & Dian Niu & Guanghui Ouyang & Minghua Liu, 2022. "Double helical π-aggregate nanoarchitectonics for amplified circularly polarized luminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Xiali Lv & Yu Tian & Fengxia Wu & Xiaoxi Luan & Fenghua Li & Zhili Shen & Guobao Xu & Kun Liu & Wenxin Niu, 2024. "Chiral plasmonic-dielectric coupling enables strong near-infrared chiroptical responses from helicoidal core-shell nanoparticles," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Tianran Zhang & Dengping Lyu & Wei Xu & Xuan Feng & Ran Ni & Yufeng Wang, 2023. "Janus particles with tunable patch symmetry and their assembly into chiral colloidal clusters," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Xiaolin Lu & Xujie Wang & Shuangshuang Wang & Tao Ding, 2023. "Polarization-directed growth of spiral nanostructures by laser direct writing with vector beams," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Lin, Yiling & Evans, James A. & Wu, Lingfei, 2022. "New directions in science emerge from disconnection and discord," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(1).
    6. Liang Qiao & Nia Pollard & Ravithree D. Senanayake & Zhi Yang & Minjung Kim & Arzeena S. Ali & Minh Tam Hoang & Nan Yao & Yimo Han & Rigoberto Hernandez & Andre Z. Clayborne & Matthew R. Jones, 2023. "Atomically precise nanoclusters predominantly seed gold nanoparticle syntheses," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Jun Guo & Yulong Duan & Yunling Jia & Zelong Zhao & Xiaoqing Gao & Pai Liu & Fangfang Li & Hongli Chen & Yutong Ye & Yujiao Liu & Meiting Zhao & Zhiyong Tang & Yi Liu, 2024. "Biomimetic chiral hydrogen-bonded organic-inorganic frameworks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Nils Bäumer & Eduardo Castellanos & Bartolome Soberats & Gustavo Fernández, 2023. "Bioinspired crowding directs supramolecular polymerisation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    9. Yifan Xie & Shuo Feng & Linxiao Deng & Aoran Cai & Liyu Gan & Zifan Jiang & Peng Yang & Guilin Ye & Zaiqing Liu & Li Wen & Qing Zhu & Wanjun Zhang & Zhanpeng Zhang & Jiahe Li & Zeyu Feng & Chutian Zha, 2023. "Inverse design of chiral functional films by a robotic AI-guided system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    10. Chi Zhang & Huatian Hu & Chunmiao Ma & Yawen Li & Xujie Wang & Dongyao Li & Artur Movsesyan & Zhiming Wang & Alexander Govorov & Quan Gan & Tao Ding, 2024. "Quantum plasmonics pushes chiral sensing limit to single molecules: a paradigm for chiral biodetections," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    11. Jing Ai & Xueliang Zhang & Te Bai & Qing Shen & Peter Oleynikov & Yingying Duan & Osamu Terasaki & Shunai Che & Lu Han, 2022. "Synchronous quantitative analysis of chiral mesostructured inorganic crystals by 3D electron diffraction tomography," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    12. Zhiwei Yang & Yanze Wei & Jingjing Wei & Zhijie Yang, 2022. "Chiral superstructures of inorganic nanorods by macroscopic mechanical grinding," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    13. Debashis Mondal & Manzoor Ahmad & Bijoy Dey & Abhishek Mondal & Pinaki Talukdar, 2022. "Formation of supramolecular channels by reversible unwinding-rewinding of bis(indole) double helix via ion coordination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    14. Xue-Jing Zhai & Meng-Yu Luo & Xi-Ming Luo & Xi-Yan Dong & Yubing Si & Chong Zhang & Zhen Han & Runping Han & Shuang-Quan Zang & Thomas C. W. Mak, 2024. "Hierarchical assembly of Ag40 nanowheel ranging from building blocks to diverse superstructure regulation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    15. Sai Rachana Pramatha & Dasari Srideep & Udaijit Pattnaik & Rahul Sahu & Devamrutha Ilayidathu Suresh & Aditya Chandrakant Yadav & Chinmayee Muduli & Sandeep K. Reddy & Satyaprasad P. Senanayak & Kotag, 2024. "Secondary nucleation guided noncovalent synthesis of dendritic homochiral superstructures via growth on and from surface," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    16. Xiaoyu Chen & Renlong Zhu & Baicheng Zhang & Xiaolong Zhang & Aoyuan Cheng & Hongping Liu & Ruiying Gao & Xuepeng Zhang & Biao Chen & Shuji Ye & Jun Jiang & Guoqing Zhang, 2024. "Rapid room-temperature phosphorescence chiral recognition of natural amino acids," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    17. Yongbo Song & Yingwei Li & Meng Zhou & Hao Li & Tingting Xu & Chuanjun Zhou & Feng Ke & Dayujia Huo & Yan Wan & Jialong Jie & Wen Wu Xu & Manzhou Zhu & Rongchao Jin, 2022. "Atomic structure of a seed-sized gold nanoprism," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    18. Li-Juan Liu & Fahri Alkan & Shengli Zhuang & Dongyi Liu & Tehseen Nawaz & Jun Guo & Xiaozhou Luo & Jian He, 2023. "Atomically precise gold nanoclusters at the molecular-to-metallic transition with intrinsic chirality from surface layers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Lei Wei & Xinyue Hai & Tongtong Xu & Zidi Wang & Wentao Jiang & Shan Jiang & Qisheng Wang & Yue-Biao Zhang & Yingbo Zhao, 2024. "Encoding ordered structural complexity to covalent organic frameworks," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.
    20. Yajun Fang & Yuntian Yang & Rui Xu & Mingyun Liang & Qi Mou & Shuixia Chen & Jehan Kim & Long Yi Jin & Myongsoo Lee & Zhegang Huang, 2023. "Hierarchical porous photosensitizers with efficient photooxidation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57059-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.