Sequential chiral induction between organic and inorganic supramolecular helical assemblies for the in situ formation of chiral carbon dots.

Self-organised helical bilayers of dicationic gemini surfactants confined in helical silica nanospace were transformed in situ to carbon dots (CDots) via pyrolysis. These water-dispersible CDots exhibit electronic absorption spanning the UV and visible range and possess symmetrical circular dichroism (CD) signals, the sign of which depends on the handedness of the helices.