U-Shaped Ureadicarboxylic Acid as a Versatile Folding Unit for Construction of Zigzag-type Architecture.

U-shaped N,N′-dimethyl-N,N′-diphenylureadicarboxylic acid was developed as a folding unit to fabricate an H-bonding aromatic zigzag array. Recrystallization of it with dipyridyl derivatives gave cocrystals. Zigzag-type strands were formed by pinching dipyridyl derivatives via H-bonding with two carboxy moieties. Two types of H-bonding networks, helix and zigzag, were obtained depending on the structure of dipyridyl derivatives to be included. The former afforded a triple helix and the latter gave a twisted zigzag tape with chirality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]