Cation-promoted hierarchical formation of supramolecular assemblies of self-organized helical molecular components

Alternating naphthyridine-pyrimidine strands self-organize into a helical conformation containing a strongly polar cavity. The binding of metal and ammonium cations promotes supramolecular self-assembly in a sort of effector-induced growth process to form polymolecular stacks (see schematic representation) and fibers observable by electron microscopy. Such entities offer features of molecular ion channels.