Coaxial assembly of helical aromatic foldamers by metal coordination.

Deprotonation of acid-terminated helical aromatic foldamers with a mineral base in chlorinated solvents led to their dimerization through the coordination of a metal cation (Li + , Na + , K + , Ag + , or Hg 2+ ) with the terminal carboxylate functions. This new ligation method was applied to oligomerize diacid-functionalized foldamers.