Switchable supramolecular polymers from the orthogonal self-assembly of quadruple hydrogen bonding and benzo-21-crown-7–secondary ammonium salt recognition

Novel linear supramolecular polymers were constructed by the orthogonal self-assembly of a heteroditopic monomer and a homoditopic monomer. The polymerization is driven by a combination of quadruple hydrogen bonding and benzo-21-crown-7 based host–guest complexation. The disassembly–assembly of these novel polymers could be reversibly switched by addition/removal of K+.