[Seminar] Biomimetic Helical Polymers and Foldamers as Unique Chiral Materials by Prof. Eiji Yashima

Speaker: Prof. Eiji Yashima

Affiliation: Department of Molecular and Macromolecular Chemistry,

                   Graduate School of Engineering,

                   Nagoya University.

Yashima Lab: http://helix.mol.nagoya-u.ac.jp/e/index.html

Abstract

The helix is a central structural motif for biological polymers playing a key role in their sophisticated functions. We show unique macromolecules that fold into a preferred-handed helical conformation induced by chiral stimuli followed by memory of the helical chirality, which provides useful chiral materials for separating enantiomers in a switchable way. The helicity induction and memory strategy has a remarkable advantage from a practical viewpoint such that a preferred-handed helicity can be induced in commodity plastics, such as syndiotactic poly(methyl methacrylate) (st-PMMA). A series of double helices composed of different components and sequences that exhibit specific functions, such as chiral recognition, enantioselective asymmetric catalysis and anisotropic spring-like motion are also described.