Supramolecular alternate co-assembly through a non-covalent amphiphilic design: conducting nanotubes with a mixed D-A structure.

Mixing it up! The supramolecular alternate co-assembly of extended π-conjugated donor (D) and acceptor (A) molecules (i.e., oligo(phenylenevinylene) and perylenebisimide, respectively), to 1-D nanotubes with an unprecedented mixed stack D-A molecular structure is presented, through a non-covalent amphiphilic design strategy, which results in the formation of hydrogels with remarkable mechanical properties (see scheme).