Phenanthroline dicarboxamide-based helical foldamers: Stable helical structures in methanol

A series of new aromatic oligoamides based on 1,10-phenanthroline diacid and o-phenylenediamine are synthesized through a convergent segment coupling strategy. These oligomers could fold into well-defined helical structures in solution through intramolecular hydrogen bonds and aromatic stacking interactions, which are established by (super 1)H NMR, fluorescence, and UV/vis spectra.