Synthesis, characterisation and chiroptical properties of 'click'able polyisocyanopeptides

Rigid rod polyisocyanopeptides have been synthesised containing acetylene groups on the side arms as scaffolds for multifunctional derivatisation by the copper-catalysed click reaction between an acetylene and an azide. All materials were characterised in detail by spectroscopic procedures and for the processable polymers, atomic force microscopy was used to determine the molecular weight parameters. The solubility properties of the synthesised macromolecules are very dependent on the stereochemistry and/or the presence of solubilising trimethylsilyl groups on the acetylene function. The potential for derivatisation of the acetylene-containing materials using click chemistry was successfully demonstrated by the reaction of these polymers with aliphatic tails functionalised with azide moieties.