The recent development of multilevel chirality research based on nucleotide coordination complexes

Abstract

Chirality is a kind of special symmetry that is prevalent in nature. Organisms exhibit the function of multiple-level transformation of chirality. The transfer, induction and amplification of multi-level chirality are fundamental problems and vital to chemistry, biology, physics and materials science. Generally, there are four levels for chirality transformation from molecular chirality to macroscopic chirality, including configuration (molecular) chirality (first level), conformational chirality (second level), phase chirality (third level) and macroscopic chirality (fourth level). Based on the coordination supramolecular assemblies of nucleotides, the combination of X ray single crystal diffraction technique and solid-state circular dichroism spectrum is an effective way to study multiple-level chirality. The comprehensive understanding of the multi-level chirality transfer mechanism can provide guidelines for us not only to cognize the relationship between the structure and function of organisms, but also to design and synthesis of chiral functional materials and artificial molecular machines rationally. In this review, an effective method to study conformational chirality and phase chirality has been described based on the research results of nucleotide chiral coordination supramolecular assemblies, which is a combination of X-ray single crystal diffraction technique and solid-state circular dichroism spectroscopy. It is the first time to develop the concept of “Extending Axial Chirality” creatively based on axial chirality in organic chemistry to 1D coordination polymer. According to the accurate analysis of crystal structures, the roles of metal-ligand coordination bonding, hydrogen bonding, π-π stacking in chirality inducing, chirality assembly and chirality transfer were revealed. Also, the expectant research areas of chiral research in the future were prospected.