Kinetically Controlled Stepwise Self-Assembly of AuI-Metallopeptides in Water.

The combination of attractive supramolecular interactions of a hydrophobic AuI-metallopeptide with the shielding effect of flexible oligoethylene glycol chains provides access to a stepwise self-assembly of a AuI-metalloamphiphile in water. Kinetic control of the supramolecular polymer morphology is achieved using a temperature-dependent assembly protocol, which yields low dispersity supramolecular polymers (metastable state I) or helical bundled nanorods (state II).