Sequence isomerism in uniform polyphosphoesters programmes self-assembly and folding

We have adapted solid phase phosphoramidite synthesis commonly used to make DNA, to produce two sequence-isomeric non-biological polymers which display sequence-programmed folding and self-assembly, going beyond structures which would be trivially anticipated. These findings open up possibilities for more sophisticated sequence/structure relationships using the same synthetic platform. Perfectly sequence-defined macromolecules have been synthesised through the phosphoramidite method. Sequence isomerism determines self-assembly giving a raft of unusual nanostructures.