Parity Violation in Supramolecular Aggregation: Insights from Optoelectronic Properties

Abstract

In the contemporary science, it is believed that supramolecular chiral structures (left‐ or right‐handed) emanating from enantiomeric (L‐ or D‐enantiomers) chiral building blocks would have identical physical and chemical properties. Here, PBI derivatives with chiral L‐phenylalanine and D‐phenylalanine at the imide positions have been synthesized and designated as PPAL and PPAD. Surprisingly, the chiral perylenebisimide (PBI) derivatives containing PPAL and PPAD self‐assemble to mirror image helical supramolecular structures showing dissymmetric energy states. They also exhibit different optoelectronic characteristics in the supramolecular aggregated state in chlorinated solvents. These studies indicate parity violation in supramolecular aggregated state and it may provide great impetus in understanding the origin of the evolutionary conserved L‐amino acids in nature.