Dendrimers as photochemical reaction media. Photochemical behavior of unimolecular and bimolecular reactions in water-soluble dendrimers

Synthesis and studies of poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers, possessing carboxylic acid functionalities at their peripheries, are reported. 5-Bromopentyloxy methylisophthalate was utilized as the monomer to O-alkylate the phenolic hydroxyl groups of poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers. Dendrimers of first, second, and third generations, possessing 6, 12, and 24 carboxylic acids, respectively, were thus prepared. These dendrimers were soluble in alkaline aqueous solutions, and the ensuing microenvironmental properties of the aqueous solutions were assessed by pyrene solubilization studies. Upon establishing the presence of nonpolar microenvironments within the dendritic structures, solubilizations of few organic substrates were conducted and their photochemical behaviors were assessed. Specifically, the photolysis of 1-phenyl-3-p-tolyl-propan-2-one and benzoin ethyl ether and photodimerization of acenaphthylene were conducted. These studies revealed that the product distribution and the "cage effect" were more distinct and efficient for the third generation dendrimer, than for the first and second generation dendrimers. The photochemical studies of carboxylic acid functionalized dendrimers were compared to that of hydroxyl group terminated poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers.     

Dendritic chelating agents. 1. Cu(II) binding to ethylene diamine core poly(amidoamine) dendrimers in aqueous solutions

This paper describes an investigation of the uptake of Cu(II) by poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with an ethylenediamine (EDA) core in aqueous solutions. We use bench scale measurements of proton and metal ion binding to assess the effects of (i) metal ion-dendrimer loading, (ii) dendrimer generation/terminal group chemistry, and (iii) solution pH on the extent of binding of Cu(II) in aqueous solutions of EDA core PAMAM dendrimers with primary amine, succinamic acid, glycidol, and acetamide terminal groups. We employ extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy to probe the structures of Cu(II) complexes with Gx-NH2 EDA core PAMAM dendrimers in aqueous solutions at pH 7.0. The overall results of the proton and metal ion binding measurements suggest that the uptake of Cu(II) by EDA core PAMAM dendrimers involves both the dendrimer tertiary amine and terminal groups. However, the extents of protonation of these groups control the ability of the dendrimers to bind Cu(II). Analysis of the EXAFS spectra suggests that Cu(II) forms octahedral complexes involving the tertiary amine groups of Gx-NH2 EDA core PAMAM dendrimers at pH 7.0. The central Cu(II) metal ion of each of these complexes appears to be coordinated to 2-4 dendrimer tertiary amine groups located in the equatorial plane and 2 axial water molecules. Finally, we combine the results of our experiments with literature data to formulate and evaluate a phenomenological model of Cu(II) uptake by Gx-NH2 PAMAM dendrimers in aqueous solutions. At low metal ion-dendrimer loadings, the model provides a good fit of the measured extent of binding of Cu(II) in aqueous solutions of G4-NH2 and G5-NH2 PAMAM dendrimers at pH 7.0.     

Thermosensitive properties of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with peripheral phenylalanine residues

Dendrimers are unique polymers with globular shapes and well-defined structures. We previously prepared poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers having phenylalanine (Phe) residues at every chain end of the dendrimer as efficient gene carriers. In this study, we found that Phe-derivatized PAMAM dendrimers change their water solubility depending on temperature. The dendrimers were soluble in aqueous solutions at low temperatures, but they became water-insoluble at temperatures above a specific threshold, which is termed the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Although the LCST of Phe-modified dendrimers decreased with increasing dendrimer generation, these dendrimers exhibited an LCST of 20-30 degrees C under physiological conditions. In addition, the LCST of the dendrimers was controlled by introducing isoleucine (Ile) residues at chain ends of dendrimers at varying ratios with respect to Phe residues. The PAMAM dendrimers are known to encapsulate various drug molecules. For these reasons, temperature-sensitive dendrimers might be useful as efficient drug carriers with controlled size and temperature-responsive properties.     

Comparison of PAMAM-Au and PPI-Au nanocomposites and their catalytic activity for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Dendrimer-Au nanocomposites are prepared in aqueous solutions using poly(amidoammine)dendrimers (PAMAM) (generation 2, 3, and 5) and poly(propyleneimine)dendrimers (PPI)(generation 2, 3, and 4) by wet chemical NaBH(4) method. The Au nanoparticles thus obtained are 2-4 nm in diameter for both dendrimers and no generation dependence on the particle size is observed, whereas the generations of the dendrimers are increased as stabilization of Au-nanoparticles is achieved with lower dendrimer concentrations. Studies of the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol using these nanocomposites show that the rate constants for the PAMAM dendrimers (generations 2 and 3) are higher than those for the PPI dendrimers (generations 2 and 3), while a distinct difference in the rate constants is not seen for the PAMAM dendrimer (generation 5) or the PPI dendrimer (generation 4). In addition, the rate constants for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol involving all the dendrimers decrease with increases in dendrimer concentrations.     

Nature of cationic poly(propylenimine) dendrimers in aqueous solutions as studied using versatile indicator dyes

Aqueous solutions of four cationic poly(propylenimine) low-generation dendrimers of different architecture and hydrophobicity have been examined as media for acid-base reactions of indicator dyes. The cationic dendrimers in solution can be considered as oligomers of cationic polyelectrolytes, or surfactant-like species, able to form micelles through self-association or sometimes even as unimolecular micelles. The dendrimers influence the ionization constants, tautomeric equilibria, and absorption/emission/excitation spectra of indicator dyes. The p K a values of the majority of the indicator dyes decrease in dendrimer solutions, often by 1-2 p K a units, similar to effects registered in micellar solutions of cationic surfactants. Analogously, the shifts of absorption band maxima indicate that the microenvironments of the dyes bound to the dendrimers are less polar than in water. However, some spectral effects denote the specificity of the dendrimers. The greatest difference between the dendrimers and spherical surfactant micelles is revealed by kinetic processes, especially of bromophenol blue alkaline fading in a dendrimer solution but not in a micellar surfactant solution. Within the dendrimer series, the most significant differences were observed for substances possessing n-dodecyl tails on the one hand and those without such hydrophobic portions on the other. For the last-named, the decrease in p K a's of indicators, band shifts of their anions, and in particular displacement of tautomeric equilibria compared with aqueous solutions are much smaller than for more hydrophobic dendrimers.     

Interfacial regions governing internal cavities of dendrimers. Studies of poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers constituted with linkers of varying alkyl chain length

This report deals with a study of the properties of internal cavities of dendritic macromolecules that are capable of encapsulating and mediating photoreactions of guest molecules. The internal cavity structures of dendrimers are determined by the interfacial regions between the aqueous exterior and hydrocarbon like interior constituted by the linkers that connect symmetrically sited branch points constituting the dendrimer and head groups that cap the dendrimers. Phloroglucinol-based poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers constituted with a homologous series of alkyl linkers were undertaken for the current study. Twelve dendrimers within first, second, and third generations, having ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, and n-pentyl groups as the linkers and hydroxyl groups at peripheries in each generation, were synthesized. Encapsulation of pyrene and coumarins by aqueous basic solutions of dendrimers were monitored by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies, which showed that a lower generation dendrimer with an optimal alkyl linker presented better encapsulation abilities than a higher generation dendrimer. Norrish type I photoreaction of dibenzyl ketone was carried out within the above series of dendrimers to probe their abilities to hold guests and reactive intermediate radical pairs within themselves. The extent of cage effect from the series of third generation dendrimers was observed to be higher with dendrimers having an n-pentyl group as the linker.     

Unsurpassed cage effect for the photolysis of dibenzyl ketones in water-soluble dendrimers

Amphiphilic water-soluble poly(alkyl aryl ether) dendrimers Gn (n = 1-3) with charge-neutral tetraethylene glycol monomethyl ethers at their periphery were synthesized as microreactors to control the photochemical reactions of dibenzyl ketone derivatives in aqueous solutions. Photophysical studies demonstrated that Gn can encapsulate organic molecules and provide a hydrophobic microenvironment. The product distribution of photolysis of dibenzyl ketone derivatives can be successfully controlled by encapsulating the substrates within dendrimers, and an unsurpassed cage effect of 1.00 is reached in high generation dendrimers, revealing that a thick and compact "shell" was formed at the periphery of the dendrimers. The cage effect is also significantly influenced by the substituent at the para-position of the guest molecules. The higher generation dendrimers exhibit a better confined microenvironment and the aggregates possess more compact cavities to "lock" the guests than the corresponding unimolecular dendrimers. After photolysis, the separation of products can be easily achieved by extracting from the dendrimer solutions and the dendrimers are simply recovered and reused.     

New insights into the interactions between dendrimers and surfactants by two dimensional NOE NMR spectroscopy

The interactions between polyamidoamine dendrimers and different surfactants including sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide in aqueous solutions have been investigated by a NOESY NMR technique. Strong NOE cross-peaks between hydrophobic chain protons of SDS and methylene protons of cationic dendrimers were found, suggesting a strong tendency for the long hydrophobic tails of SDS to associate with the hydrophobic pockets of dendrimers. The hydrophilic head of SDS localizes near the core or the boundary of each generation of dendrimers, and the hydrophobic chain of SDS localizes in the relative nonpolar pockets of dendrimers. The encapsulation of surfactant monomers by dendrimers is dependent on the charge type of the surfactants, the surface functionality, and the generation of dendrimers. The NOESY analysis provides a new insight into interactions between dendrimers and surfactants in comparison with previous investigations.     

两亲性树枝状大分子作为药物缓释载体的研究

利用胆酸对1代聚酰胺-胺树枝状大分子进行修饰,得到两亲性树枝状大分子(PAMAM1-CA6)。采用1H-NMR和酸碱滴定法测得每个1代PAMAM分子上共价键连了6个胆酸分子。PAMAM1-CA6在水相中自组装成纳米粒子,粒径约为273nm。以抗癌药物氨甲喋呤为模型考察了此两亲性树枝状大分子对药物的缓释行为。在碱性条件下(pH=10),PAMAM1-CA6对氨甲喋呤的释放较为缓慢;随着溶液pH的降低,药物的释放速率明显加快。说明PAMAM1-CA6对氨甲喋呤的释放具有环境响应性。体外细胞实验的结果表明,PAMAM1-CA6能够显著地提高氨甲喋呤的疗效。因此,这类由低代树枝状大分子制得的材料有望成为新型的药物控释载体。     

Direct force measurements between adlayers consisting of poly(amidoamine) dendrimers with primary amino groups or quaternary ammonium groups

Adsorption of poly(amidoamine) generation 3 (PAMAM G3) dendrimer with surface amino groups or PAMAM G0 dendrimer with quaternary ammonium groups (C8qbG0) onto glass has been studied by colloidal probe atomic force microscopy. The adlayer-adlayer interactions for these adsorbates are quite different despite the fact that they are almost equal in the hydrodynamic radius. In aqueous PAMAM G3 dendrimer solutions the electrostatic repulsion is predominant. The conformation of the adsorbed layer is flat and the protrusion of the individual dendrimers is negligible. On the other hand, C8qbG0 behaves as a surfactant and the layered structure of C8qbG0 is expected to be a patchy bilayer. Dispersion stability of silica suspensions with the adsorption of these dendrimers can be correlated with the force data obtained.     

Preparation of poly(ethylene glycol)-modified poly(amido amine) dendrimers encapsulating gold nanoparticles and their heat-generating ability

Loading of HAuCl4 in poly(amido amine) G4 dendrimers having poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) grafts at all chain ends and subsequent reduction with NaBH4 yielded PEG-modified dendrimers encapsulating gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) of ca. 2 nm diameter. The Au NPs held in the dendrimers were stable in aqueous solutions and dissolved readily, even after freeze-drying. Despite their small particle size, the heat-generating ability of Au NPs held in the dendrimer was comparable to that of widely used Au NPs with ca. 11 nm diameter under visible light irradiation. The observed excellent colloidal stability, high heat-generating ability and their biocompatible surface confirm that the PEG-modified dendrimers encapsulating Au NPs are a promising tool for photothermal therapy and imaging.     

Preparation of PAMAM- and PPI-metal (silver, platinum, and palladium) nanocomposites and their catalytic activities for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Dendrimer-metal (silver, platinum, and palladium) nanocomposites are prepared in aqueous solutions containing poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers with surface amino groups (generations 3, 4, and 5) or poly(propyleneimine) (PPI) dendrimers with surface amino groups (generations 2, 3, and 4). The particle sizes of the metal nanoparticles obtained are almost independent of the generation as well as the concentration of the dendrimer for both the PAMAM and the PPI dendrimers; the average sizes of silver, platinum, and palladium nanoparticles are 5.6-7.5, 1.2-1.6, and 1.6-2.0 nm, respectively. It is suggested that the dendrimer-metal nanocomposites are formed by adsorbing the dendrimers on the metal nanoparticles. Studies of the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol by these nanocomposites show that the rate constants are very similar between PAMAM and PPI dendrimer-silver nanocomposites, whereas the rate constants for the PPI dendrimer-platinum and -palladium nanocomposites are greater than those for the corresponding PAMAM dendrimer nanocomposites. In addition, it is found that the rate constants for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol involving all the dendrimer-metal nanocomposites decrease with an increase in the dendrimer concentrations, and the catalytic activity of dendrimer-palladium nanocomposites is highest.     

以尼罗红为探针对新型两亲性树枝形聚合物微环境的研究

本工作合成了一系列外围以三缩四乙二醇单甲醚修饰的烷基芳醚骨架两亲性树枝形聚合物Gn(n=0—3),化合物通过了¹H-NMR,IR和MALDI-TOF-MS的表征.利用吸收光谱,稳态和时间分辨荧光光谱研究了水溶液中Gn对尼罗红分子的增溶作用以及Gn内部微环境的极性.研究结果表明,高代数树枝形聚合物Gn对尼罗红具有更好的增溶效果.1—3代树枝形聚合物Gn内部疏水孔腔微环境极性随代数增加而逐渐降低,G1和G2树枝形聚合物具有相似的微环境极性,而由于构象的变化使G3具有更加疏水的微环境.     

酚醛型吸附树脂对水体系中吡啶和N,N-二甲基苯胺的吸附性能研究

研究了酚醛型吸附树脂在水体系中对吡啶和N，N-二甲基苯胺的静态和动态吸附行为．结果表明，在水中树脂对吡啶和N，N-二甲基苯胺的吸附主要以疏水吸附机理进行；吸附吡啶和N．N-二甲基苯胺的初始阶段，即达到38．3～48．9％平衡吸附时，吸附速率数据和半经验速率方程很吻合：酚醛型吸附树脂等温吸附吡啶和N，N-二甲基苯胺的平衡吸附数据符合Langmuir方程，相关系数在0．99以上，酚醛型吸附树脂吸附吡啶和N，N-二甲基苯胺属单分子层吸附：用80％的乙醇溶液作洗脱剂来洗脱吸附吡啶已达饱和的JDW-2树脂，效果是很理想的．在3．6个床体积内洗脱率达91．52％，4．8个床体积内洗脱率达到94．85％。表明酚醛型吸附树脂具有优良的洗脱性能．     

Hydrodynamic properties of rigid pyridine-containing poly(phenylene) dendrimers in solutions

The hydrodynamic properties of pyridine-containing polyphenylene dendrimers of the third and fourth generations in chloroform are studied by photon correlation spectroscopy and viscometry. It has been demonstrated that the hydrodynamic characteristics of these macromolecules in dilute solutions are similar to those of nondraining spheres. The hydrodynamic radius of these dendrimers is shown to be proportional to their molecular mass to a power of 1/3. It has been established that the macromolecules of the dendrimers under examination in solutions conserve the conformation and size over a wide temperature range. The detailed analysis of hydrodynamic data allowed a conclusion concerning an extremely low content of the polymer inside the equivalent sphere for the above dendrimers in solutions. The compounds of interest may be referred to as rigid dendritic systems.     

Colorimetric Determination of Polyamidoamine Dendrimers and their Derivates using a Simple and Rapid Ninhydrin Assay

Abstract

A simple, accurate and rapid colorimetric method using ninhydrin reagent was developed for the determination of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (G4, G5, and G6) and their derivates in aqueous medium. This method was based on the interaction of the primary amino group of PAMAM dendrimers with ninhydrin reagent to form a blue‐colored product with λ_max at 570 nm. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 25–200 µg/ml of all the three investigated PAMAM dendrimers. The effects of experimental parameters such as reagent concentration and reaction time were studied to optimize the colorimetric method. Accuracy and precision of the colorimetric method were assessed by statistical analysis. Acetylated G5 PAMAM dendrimers with various acetylated rates were simultaneously measured by the described ninhydrin assay and NMR studies and the data obtained by the two methods approximately accorded with each other. Results showed that the suggested procedures were suitable for the determination of PAMAM dendrimers and their derivates in aqueous solutions with satisfactory accuracy and precision.     

A facile convergent procedure for the preparation of triphenylamine-based dendrimers with truxene cores

A simple convergent procedure has been developed for the preparation of triphenylamine dendrons containing an alkene at the center, which can be coupled in a single step to give dendrimers that contain truxene for the core without any protection-deprotection chemistry. These conjugated dendrimers exhibit similar absorption and emission behaviors in solutions and in thin films, which are indicative of the high isolation effect of well-organized three-dimensional dendrimers. They also have high fluorescence quantum yields and high glass transition temperatures, which indicate that these dendrimers are candidates for the application in OLED as light emitting materials.     

Self‐Assembly of Amphiphilic Janus Dendrimers into Mechanically Robust Supramolecular Hydrogels for Sustained Drug Release

Compounds that can gelate aqueous solutions offer an intriguing toolbox to create functional hydrogel materials for biomedical applications. Amphiphilic Janus dendrimers with low molecular weights can readily form self‐assembled fibers at very low mass proportion (0.2 wt %) to create supramolecular hydrogels (G′?G′′) with outstanding mechanical properties and storage modulus of G′>1000 Pa. The G′ value and gel melting temperature can be tuned by modulating the position or number of hydrophobic alkyl chains in the dendrimer structure; thus enabling exquisite control over the mesoscale material properties in these molecular assemblies. The gels are formed within seconds by simple injection of ethanol‐solvated dendrimers into an aqueous solution. Cryogenic TEM, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, and SEM were used to confirm the fibrous structure morphology of the gels. Furthermore, the gels can be efficiently loaded with different bioactive cargo, such as active enzymes, peptides, or small‐molecule drugs, to be used for sustained release in drug delivery.     

Oligosaccharide-modified poly(propyleneimine) dendrimers: synthesis, structure determination, and Cu(II) complexation

The multiple application of reductive amination on primary amino groups of first and second generation poly(propyleneimine) dendrimers is used as a one-pot approach to introduce twice the amount of the oligosaccharide units as surface groups, compared to initially present amino groups in the first and second generation dendrimers. This was proven by (1)H NMR, MALDI-TOF-MS, and LILBID-MS analysis. The size of these dendrimers was determined by the hydrodynamic radius using pulsed field gradient NMR and dynamic light scattering. Molecular modeling confirmed the presence of dense-shell dendrimers. These dendrimers exhibit a generation dependent Cu(II)/dendrimer ratio in an aqueous environment, highlighting these materials as possible metal-carrier systems with a well-defined oligosaccharide protection shell for application in a biological environment.     

Inherent photoluminescence properties of poly(propyl ether imine) dendrimers

Hydroxyl group terminated poly(propyl ether imine) dendrimers of 1 to 5 generations absorb in the region of 260-340 nm, in MeOH and aqueous solutions. Excitation of a solution of the dendrimers at 330 nm led to an emission at approximately 390 nm. The emission intensities increased under acidic pH and in more viscous solvents. The presence of air did not affect the emission profiles, as also aging of a dendrimer solution for prolonged periods. Lifetime measurements show at least two species responsible for the emission. Anions perchlorate, periodate, nitrite, and pyridinium methyliodide quenched the fluorescence efficiently, among several anions tested.