Ionic polyacetylene with a unique nanostructure and high stability by metathesis cyclopolymerization-induced self-assembly

Polymerization-induced self-assembly has emerged as an effective tool for the production of nano-objects with fascinating properties. A metathesis cyclopolymerization-induced self-assembly technique was used to synthesize fully conjugated block copolymers of ionic polyacetylene, which can spontaneously self-assemble into unique nanostructured morphologies such as spheres, ultra-long nanowires, large nanorings, and vesicles during in situ polymerization or post-dissolving in selective solvents, driven by the solubility discrepancy between the blocks and the π-π stacking interaction of the conjugated backbone. Although pristine polyacetylene was unstable in air, polyacetylenes with bulky ionic pendants and self-assembled nanostructures showed high stability even after exposure to air for some days.