It’s all about the Twist!

Significance

The authors report the syntheses of two new polyacetylenes bearing pendant β-cyclodextrin groups linked via ether or ester linkages. The resulting high molecular weight polymers spontaneously form helical structures that can be modulated by addition of external stimuli. Poly-2β undergoes enantioselective gelation when treated with an excess of (S)-PEA. Interestingly, poly-3β does not exhibit this behavior, leading the authors to surmise that the enantioselectivity is related to the presence of Lewis basic ester linkages rather than an inclusion complex.