Three-Dimensional Water Channel Embedded in an α,γ-Cyclic Octapeptide-Derived Organic Porous Material

A dual behavior for water is described, in which the water molecules play an active role in inducing a cyclic peptide to fold and assemble to produce a novel three-dimensional porous organic solid without any interpeptide hydrogen bonds, and at the same time, the water molecules fill the voids left by the cyclic peptide (CP) aggregate to form highly ordered 3D water channels at room temperature through large interconnected water clusters. Once the crystal is taken out of the mother liquor, it slowly loses its water content while increasing its crystal symmetry from P2₁ to I2.