Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level
Abstract Chirality plays a critical role in the structure and function of natural and synthetic polymers, impacting their mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the hierarchical emergence of chirality from monomers to macromolecular assemblies remai...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62041-0 |
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| author | Xuecong Li Sidharam P. Pujari Jasper van der Gucht Han Zuilhof Francesco Simone Ruggeri |
| author_facet | Xuecong Li Sidharam P. Pujari Jasper van der Gucht Han Zuilhof Francesco Simone Ruggeri |
| author_sort | Xuecong Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Chirality plays a critical role in the structure and function of natural and synthetic polymers, impacting their mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the hierarchical emergence of chirality from monomers to macromolecular assemblies remains elusive, largely because of current limitations in studying their chemical-structural properties at the nanoscale. Here, we unravel the emergence of different forms of chirality from small molecules to their resulting polymers and supramolecular assemblies. We leverage bulk spectroscopic methods combined with the development of acoustical-mechanical suppressed infrared nanospectroscopy, to empower chemical-structural analysis of single-polymer chains. This ultra-high sensitivity allows identifying key functional groups as a signature for different forms of chirality: CH groups for central chirality in small molecules; C=O groups for backbone and supramolecular chirality in heterogeneous polymers. This work opens a new single-molecule chemical angle of observation into chirality and (bio)-polymers for the rational design in material science, biotechnology, and medicine. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-df35d5903dea4f60b2d21ec68b36a8de |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-df35d5903dea4f60b2d21ec68b36a8de2025-08-20T03:05:06ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-62041-0Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain levelXuecong Li0Sidharam P. Pujari1Jasper van der Gucht2Han Zuilhof3Francesco Simone Ruggeri4Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen UniversityLaboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen UniversityPhysical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen UniversityLaboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen UniversityLaboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen UniversityAbstract Chirality plays a critical role in the structure and function of natural and synthetic polymers, impacting their mechanical, optical, and electronic properties. However, a comprehensive understanding of the hierarchical emergence of chirality from monomers to macromolecular assemblies remains elusive, largely because of current limitations in studying their chemical-structural properties at the nanoscale. Here, we unravel the emergence of different forms of chirality from small molecules to their resulting polymers and supramolecular assemblies. We leverage bulk spectroscopic methods combined with the development of acoustical-mechanical suppressed infrared nanospectroscopy, to empower chemical-structural analysis of single-polymer chains. This ultra-high sensitivity allows identifying key functional groups as a signature for different forms of chirality: CH groups for central chirality in small molecules; C=O groups for backbone and supramolecular chirality in heterogeneous polymers. This work opens a new single-molecule chemical angle of observation into chirality and (bio)-polymers for the rational design in material science, biotechnology, and medicine.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62041-0 |
| spellingShingle | Xuecong Li Sidharam P. Pujari Jasper van der Gucht Han Zuilhof Francesco Simone Ruggeri Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level Nature Communications |
| title | Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level |
| title_full | Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level |
| title_fullStr | Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level |
| title_short | Unravelling emergence of chirality in click-chemistry polymers down to the single-chain level |
| title_sort | unravelling emergence of chirality in click chemistry polymers down to the single chain level |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62041-0 |
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