Self-sorting behavior in supramolecular fullerene polymerization directed by host-guest complexation between calix[5]arene and C60.

We describe self-sorting supramolecular polymerization that uses chiral calix[5]arene hosts and a dumbbell-shaped fullerene guest. In a solution containing the racemic host and the guest, the (S)-host and the (R)-host preferably formed their homomeric complexes to form helical supramolecular fullerene polymers in a self-sorting manner. The self-sorting behavior has been studied using diffusion-ordered 1H NMR (DOSY) and circular dichroism (CD) studies. The present findings show that it is possible to accomplish controlled supramolecular polymerization.