Control over self-assembly through reversible charging of the aromatic building blocks in photofunctional supramolecular fibers.

Self-assembling systems, whose structure and function can be reversibly controlled in situ are of primary importance for creating multifunctional supramolecular arrays and mimicking the complexity of natural systems. Herein we report on photofunctional fibers self-assembled from perylene diimide cromophores, in which interactions between aromatic monomers can be attenuated through their reduction to anionic species that causes fiber fission. Oxidation with air restores the fibers. The sequence represents reversible supramolecular depolymerization-polymerization in situ and is accompanied by a reversible switching of photofunction.