Amplification of macromolecular helicity of poly(biphenylylacetylene)s composed of a small amount of chiral [5]helicene units

A series of novel biphenylylacetylene (BPA)-based chiral/achiral copolymers bearing a small amount of configurationally labile optically active [5]helicene pendants (5, 10, and 20 mol%) introduced at the 4 '-position of the biphenyl units was synthesized. An almost fully right (P)-handed helical copolymer was obtained when copolymerized with 10 mol% of the (M)-[5]helicene-bound BPA monomer, indicative of a very strong sergeants and soldiers effect. The (M)-helicene units of the copolymers are configurationally labile and gradually racemized over time. However, the copolymer with 10 mol% of the (M)-[5]helicene-bound BPA mostly maintained its preferred-handed helicity even after the pendant helicene units were completely racemized, which can be ascribed to the static memory of the main-chain helicity stabilized by the bulky yet racemic helicene units. Hence, the helicity memory of the corresponding helicene-free homopolymer was lost rapidly. For comparison, an optically inactive copolymer containing 10 mol% of the racemic [5]helicene units was also prepared, and noncovalent helicity induction and subsequent memory of the helicity as well as its helix-memory stability were investigated.