Cation-Promoted Hierarchical Formation of Supramolecular Assemblies of Self-Organized Helical Molecular Components

Alternating naphthyridine–pyrimidine strands self-organize into a helical conformation containing a strongly polar cavity. The binding of metal and ammonium cations promotes supramolecular self-assembly in a sort of effector-induced growth process to form polymolecular stacks (see schematic representation) and fibers observable by electron microscopy. Such entities offer features of molecular ion channels.