AbstractA hexabenzocoronene derivative consisting of lipophilic dodecyl side chains and thioacetyl‐appended hydrophilic oxyethylene chains was newly synthesized. The self‐assembly of this hexabenzocoronene amphiphile in tetrahydrofuran gave a nanotubular object, for which the thioacetyl functionalities were located on the inner and outer surfaces. The removal of the acetyl group under alkaline conditions, followed by autoxidation, allowed the conversion of the noncovalent architecture into a covalently stabilized form via disulfide linkages. The resulting surface‐polymerized nanotubes were completely insoluble in common organic solvents. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that the tubular morphology mostly remained after the oxidative polymerization. Disulfide oligomers involved in the polymerized nanotubes were transformed into a thiol monomer upon reduction with dithiothreitol. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 5120‐5127, 2006