A clickable NHC–Au(i)-complex for the preparation of stimulus-responsive metallopeptide amphiphiles

Abstract

We report the synthesis of an alkyne functionalised NHC–Au(I)-complex which is conjugated with amphiphilic oligopeptides using a copper(I) catalysed cycloaddition. The resulting Au(I)-metalloamphiphiles are shown to self-assemble into charge-regulated stimulus-responsive supramolecular polymers in water via a weakly cooperative polymerisation mechanism.