Distinctive Chiral Conformations Induced to Poly (naphthalene‐1,4‐diyl) by Helix–sense–selective Polymerization and Circularly Polarized Light Irradiation

Abstract

AbstractOptically active poly(naphthalene‐1,4‐diyl) was prepared through helix–sense–selective polymerization of the corresponding monomers and also through circularly polarized light (CPL) irradiation, resulting in distinctive circular dichroism (CD) spectral patterns. Chirality of the helix–sense–selective polymerization ‐based polymer is ascribed to preferred–handed helicity while that of the CPL–based polymer to a non–helical, chiral conformation (‘biased–dihedral conformation’) with preferred–handedness which was stable only in the solid state. The helix of the helix–sense–selective polymerization–based polymer gradually racemized in tetrahydrofuran while it was stabilized by aggregate formation in a hexane–dichloromethane solution. Both helix–sense–selective polymerization‐ and CPL–based polymers exhibited efficient circularly polarized luminescence.