A one-step synthesis of a nanographene propeller with a D3-symmetry was obtained starting from 7,8-dibromo[5]helicene by Yamamoto nickel(0) couplings. It afforded a chiral polyaromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) embedding six enantiomerically stable [5]helicene units. This dense accumulation of helical strain resulted in an extremely distorted geometry, but stable stereochemistry. The conformational, structural, chiroptical and photophysical properties of the molecule are reported.

Artificial light-harvesting systems have until now not been able to self-assemble into structures with a large photon capture cross-section that upon a stimulus reversibly can switch into an inactive state. Here we describe a simple and robust F_LF_L-dipeptide construct to which a meso-tetraphenylporphyrin has been appended and which self-assembles to fibrils, platelets or nanospheres depending on the solvent composition. The fibrils, functioning as quenched antennas, give intense excitonic couplets in the electronic circular dichroism spectra which are mirror imaged if the unnatural F_DF_D-analogue is used. By slightly increasing the solvent polarity, these light-harvesting fibres disassemble to spherical structures with silent electronic circular dichroism spectra but which fluoresce. Upon further dilution with the nonpolar solvent, the intense Cotton effects are recovered, thus proving a reversible switching. A single crystal X-ray structure shows a head-to-head arrangement of porphyrins that explains both their excitonic coupling and quenched fluorescence.