Formation of supramolecular nanotubes from molecular triangles in a single crystal is observed. The supramolecular nanotube growth is templated by intermolecular halogen interactions between individual macrocycles encoded directly in their structure creating a well defined nanochannel.

Abstract

We demonstrate the formation of supramolecular nanotubes from molecular triangles in a single crystal by balancing the hydrogen bonds and halogen interactions between individual macrocycles. Thereby, we template the supramolecular nanotube growth by intermolecular interactions encoded directly in the macrocycles instead of those provided by the crystallization solvent. Ultimately, we show that replacing bromines for iodines in the macrocycle is necessary to achieve this supramolecular organization by enhancing the strength of the halogen interactions and concomitant reduction of the detrimental hydrogen bonds. We investigated the nature and the interplay of the individual intermolecular interactions by analysis of the experimental single crystal data and quantum chemical calculations. This work enriches the available toolbox of supramolecular interactions and will aid and abet the development of rationally-designed materials with a long-range 1D tubular organization.