SUPRAMOLECULAR CHIRALITY OF THE LANGMUIR-BLODGETT FILMS OF AN ACHIRAL 2-(HEPTADECYL)PHENANTHRO[9, 10-d]IMIDAZOLE

A novel amphiphilic compound, 2-(heptadecyl)phenanthro[9, 10-d]imidazole (PhImC17), was synthesized and its assembly at the air/water interface was investigated. It has been found that although the compound was achiral, it can form a chiral Langmuir–Blodgett film through the interfacial organization. The larger aromatic ring of the compound, which caused the cooperative arrangement of the chromophore in the assembled ultrathin film, was suggested to play an important role in forming such supramolecular chirality. A comparison between the supramolecular chirality of the PhImC17 film with that of previously published 2-heptadecyl-naphtha[2, 3]imidazole film was performed and a further insight into the supramolecular chirality of the system from achiral molecules was proposed.