ArticleNature chemistry2026
Trefoil polymers from a knotted synthon.
Article in Nature chemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Endo-selective [2+2] cycloaddition of norbornadienes enables the synthesis of homocubanes.Nature chemistry · 2026Article
- Ketones to ketyls by radical relocation.Nature chemistry · 2026Article
- Molecular rotary motors switch direction.Nature chemistry · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
19 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Precise control over the presence and position of knots in polymers remains a long-standing synthetic challenge, with theory indicating broad implications for properties and function. Here we report on a topological synthon approach-extension and macrocyclization of an overhand knot-that enables the high yielding synthesis of closed-loop trefoiled polymers with narrow polydispersity and tunable topological parameters. From the same set of building blocks we prepared linear, cyclic and trefoiled topoisomers of matched chemical composition, allowing topology-property relationships to be examined directly. Low-temperature ultrahigh-vacuum scanning tunnelling microscopy resolved three conformers of trefoiled polystyrene, with high-, medium- and low-symmetry forms whose populations depend on chain length, local flexibility and solvation. Coarse‑grained Langevin dynamics reproduce these distributions and indicate that bending energy and conformational entropy govern conformer stability. Metal binding localizes the knotted region, reminiscent of protein/DNA knot translocation. The synthon also affords trefoiled poly(ethylene glycol) and trefoiled polystyrene-poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymers, demonstrating the generality of the approach across polymer backbones.
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Registered trials
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