Chiroptical switching and strong circularly polarized luminescence in peptide supramolecular assemblies

Peptide-based materials offer unique advantages for constructing supramolecular chiral systems due to their bioactivity and intrinsic chirality. However, precise control over the expression, transfer, and amplification of chirality from the molecular to supramolecular level remains a significant challenge in developing high-performance chiral materials. In this study, we demonstrate that achiral anions regulate hydrogen bonding interactions in dipeptide assembly, leading to the formation of chiral microrolls composed of two-dimensional nanosheets. These microrolls exhibit pH-dependent chiroptical switching and intense circularly polarized luminescence with a dissymmetry factor (|glum|) of 0.062. Furthermore, the chiral ultraviolet emission from these microrolls enables enantioselective polymerization of diacetylene, offering potential applications in chiral catalysis. These findings enhance our understanding of chirality modulation in biomolecular assemblies and provide a pathway toward the development of high-performance chiral biomaterials.