Copper(ii)-mediated chiral helicity amplification and inversion of meta-ethynylpyridine polymers with metal coordination sites

meta-Ethynylpyridine polymers bearing metal coordination sites associate with alkyl glycoside guests to show induced circular dichroism (ICD) bands. The addition of a Cu(ii) ion changed the intensity or the sign of these ICD bands. The changes suggested chiral helicity amplification or inversion of the polymers by Cu(ii)-mediated cross-linking at the coordinating side chains.