In situ Synthesis of Supramolecular Polymers: Finding the Right Conditions when Combining Covalent and Non-Covalent Synthesis

The combination of covalent and non-covalent synthesis is omnipresent in nature and potentially enables access to new materials. Yet, the fundamental principles that govern such a synthesis are barely understood. Here, we demonstrate how even simple reaction mixtures behave surprisingly complex when covalent reactions are coupled to self-assembly processes. Specifically, we study the reaction behavior of a system in which the in situ formation of discotic benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxamide (BTA) monomers is linked to an intertwined non-covalent reaction network including self-assembly into helical BTA polymers. This system shows an unexpected phase-separation behavior in which an interplay of reactant/product concentrations, side-products and solvent purity determines the system composition. We envision that these insights can bring us one step closer to how to design the synthesis of systems in a combined covalent/non-covalent fashion.