Determining the atomic-level structures of confined polymers is challenging. Now, helical polythiophene and polypyrrole are synthesized in situ within a chiral iron-based metal–organic framework (MOF) and resolved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The polymers form single-handed helices in the MOF’s narrow channels and amplify its chirality-induced spin selectivity.
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References
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This is a summary of: Chen, X. et al. Helical polymer metal–organic framework hybrids. Nat. Synth. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-025-00909-1 (2025).
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Synthesis of crystalline helical polymers within metal–organic frameworks. Nat. Synth 5, 8–9 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-025-00924-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44160-025-00924-2
