Self-organization that occurs far from thermodynamic equilibrium is ubiquitous in nature but has remained challenging to control in synthetic supramolecular systems. A complex system has now been devised that displays such behaviour. Porphyrin derivative monomers undergo living supramolecular polymerization, a reaction underpinned by the interplay of two supramolecular polymerization pathways.
- Soichiro Ogi
- Kazunori Sugiyasu
- Masayuki Takeuchi