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Gold (III) cyclometalated based amphiphiles in aqueous media have been revealed with excellent supramolecular transformations to external stimuli to open new pathways for soft functional material fabrications. Herein, we report a new chiral cyclometalated gold (III) amphiphile (GA) assembling into lamellar nanostructures in aqueous media confirmed with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Counterion exchange with D‐, L‐, or racemic‐camphorsulfonates features the significant supramolecular helicity enhancements, enabling transformations of GA from lamellar structure to vesicles and to nanotubes with multi‐equivalents of counterion. The limited cytotoxicity of GA in aqueous media exhibits good biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The front cover picture illustrates chiral gold (III) amphiphiles assembling into tubular supramolecular structures in aqueous media through a counterion controlled pathway. The nanostructures were further demonstrated to have good cytocompatibility in aqueous media. Cover designed by Mr. Qian Wang. More information can be found in the Research Article by Man‐Kin Wong, Franco King‐Chi Leung, and co‐workers...By Aries Kwok‐Heung Chan; Ming‐Hin Chau; Yikun Ren; Jia‐Jun Jiang; Man‐Kin Wong and Franco King‐Chi LeungReported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

[Display omitted] Amphiphilic molecules functionalized with photoresponsive motifs have attractive prospects for applications in smart functional bio-material ranging from cell-material interfaces to drug delivery systems owing to the precisely controllable functionality of self-assembled hierarchical supramolecular structures in aqueous media by a non-invasive light stimulation with high temporal- and spatial-resolution. However, most of reported photoresponsive amphiphiles are triggered by bio-damaging UV-light, which greatly limits the potential in bio-related applications. Herein, we present newly designed red-light controlled N,N' -diaryl-substituted indigo amphiphiles (IA), exhibiting excellent photoswitchablity and photostability with dual red-/green-light in organic media. Meanwhile, aqueous solutions of IA assembled into supramolecular structures in both microscopic and macroscopic length-scale, though the photoresponsiveness of IA is slightly compromised in aqueous media. At macroscopic length-scale, morphological changes of IA macroscopic scaffold prepared by a shear-flow method can be fine adjusted upon red-light irradiation. Moreover, the preferential attachment of live h-MSCs to IA macroscopic scaffold surface also indicates a good biocompatibility of IA macroscopic scaffold. These results provide the potential for developing the next generation of red-light controlled soft functional materials with good biocompatibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Counterion controlled supramolecular transformations of gold (III) amphiphiles have been demonstrated. • Luminescent properties of gold (III) amphiphiles have been enhanced. • Cytocompatibility of gold (III) amphiphiles to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells has been confirmed. Gold (III) complex-based amphiphiles in aqueous media have recently been demonstrated with high structural sensitivity to external stimulations, enabling new prospect for soft functional material applications. Here we demonstrate an advanced supramolecular assembly system of gold (III) amphiphiles reversibly controlled by counterions exchange. More importantly, the luminescent properties of the gold (III) amphiphiles are enhanced by implementation of σ -donating mono-alkynyl ligand. Gold (III) amphiphiles demonstrate with good cytocompatibilities to human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]