Thermodynamics and selectivity of two-dimensional metallo-supramolecular self-assembly resolved at molecular scale

We investigated the thermodynamic processes of two-dimensional (2D) metallo-supramolecular self-assembly at molecular resolution using scanning tunneling microscopy and variable-temperature low-energy electron diffraction. On a Au(111) substrate, tripyridyl ligands coordinated with Cu in a twofold Cu-pyridyl binding mode or with Fe in a threefold Fe-pyridyl binding mode, forming a 2D open network structure in each case. The network structures exhibited remarkable thermal stability (600 K for the Cu-coordinated network and 680 K for the Fe-coordinated network). The Fe-pyridyl binding was selected thermodynamically as well as kinetically in self-assembly involving both modes. The selectivity can be effectively suppressed in a specifically designed self-assembly route.     

Control over the self-assembly of polymers and layered molybdenum oxide: from the micrometer scale to the molecular scale

We report adjustment on the self-assembly between polymer of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and inorganic molybdenum oxide layers from the micrometer scale to the nanometer scale. Our method is to break the strong interactions between the organic polymers by introducing suitable bridging agents and adjust the reaction speeds of the two competitive reactions in the reaction system. We use I₂ to complex with PVA and break the strong hydrogen interactions between the PVA chains, resulting in a PVA-I₂/(Mo_xO_y)_∞ⁿ⁻ complex, in which the organic and inorganic species self-assemble homogenously on the molecular scale. We also adjust the thickness of the inorganic (Mo_xO_y)_∞ⁿ⁻ layers in the hybrid of PVP/(Mo_xO_y)_∞ⁿ⁻ by controlling the reaction speeds of the two competitive reactions: hydrolysis of Mo₇O₂₄ ⁶⁻ into (Mo_xO_y)_∞ⁿ⁻ and packing into thick inorganic layers on the one hand, and hybridization of (Mo_xO_y)_∞ⁿ⁻ and PVP into layered hybrid on the other hand. Experimental results proved that when the hydrolysis is overwhelming, the inorganic molybdenum oxide chains pack into heavy layers and self-assemble with PVP polymers on the micrometer scale, and when the hybrid reaction dominates, the organic polymer and molybdenum oxide hybridize on the molecular scale. These findings open new routes to disperse organic polymer and inorganic species homogenously and fabricate novel organic/inorganic hybrid nanomaterials in situ.     

Two-dimensional self-assembly of linear molecular rods at the liquid/solid interface

We report on the synthesis and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of a series of linear molecular rods (1-5) comprising different numbers and/or spatial arrangements of perfluorinated benzene and benzene subunits interlinked with diacetylenes in the para position and decorated with or without terminal dodecyl chains. The molecules organize themselves into well-ordered 2D crystal structures at the liquid/solid interface through intermolecular and molecule-substrate interactions. Whereas the molecules substituted by dodecyl chains form the lamellar structures with alternating rigid core rows and alkyl chain rows, the unsubstituted ones change the orientation of the rigid backbones with respect to the lamellar axis. The molecular arrangement is not influenced by fluoro substituents on any phenyl ring of the backbone, which suggests that the interactions between the π-conjugated backbones are dominated by close packing rather than by the dipole moments of the rods or fluorine-based intermolecular interactions.     

Characterization of the mixed self-assembled monolayer at the molecular scale

The mixed SAM obtained by the self-assembly of the monothiolated calix[4]crown-5 receptor 1 and the subsequent addition of the thiolated alkylferrocene guest 3 was characterized at the molecular scale by the favorable receptor-guest interactions by using cyclic voltammetry (CV).     

Recognition of bile acids at cyclodextrin-modified gold electrodes.

Lipoylamino-beta- and gamma-cyclodextrin (LP-beta-CD and LP-gamma-CD, respectively) were adsorbed at the surface of gold electrodes by sulfur-gold bonding. The resultant electrodes exhibited quasi-reversible voltammograms for the redox reaction of Fe(CN)6(3-/4-) in aqueous solutions, with peak-to-peak separation (deltaEp) being 85 mV at 20 mV s(-1) as a potential sweep rate. When bile acids are added to the solution, deltaEp values increased to 200-300 mV with increasing the concentration of bile acids. A Langmuir-type adsorption analyses satisfactorily afforded the binding constants (Ksurf) of the surface-confined LP-beta-CD and LP-gamma-CD with the bile acids. The obtained Ksurf values of LP-gamma-CD are 5.0-50 times larger than the corresponding binding constants of gamma-CD in homogeneous aqueous solutions. Cyclic voltammetric experiments with positively, negatively, and non-charged adamantane derivatives as well as pH titration experiments revealed that the retardation of the electrode reaction of negatively charged Fe(CN)6(3-/4-) caused by bile acids was attributable (1) to electric potential changes due to the accumulation of the negative charges at the electrode surface, and (2) to an increase in the hydrophobicity of the electrode surface due to the binding of hydrophobic bile acids to the LP-beta-CD and LP-gamma-CD membranes.     

Formation of molecular bundles from self-assembly of symmetrical poly(oxyalkylene)-diamido acids

Sodium salts of poly(oxypropylene)-trimellitic amido acid (POP-amido acid), prepared from the reaction of POP-diamines and trimellitic anhydride, were found to self-assemble into orderly molecular bundles. The POP-amido acid has a symmetrical structure consisting of a hydrophobic POP middle block (2000 g/mol) and four symmetrical carboxyl end groups. By dissolving in water and evaporating on a polyether sulfone film, the POP-amido acid molecules self-assembled into a unique array with average dimensions of 7-13 nm in width, 2-5 nm in height, and 20-50 nm in length, observed by atomic force microscope. Varied morphologies were also observed when varying the pH, solvents, evaporating rate, concentration, and substrate surface. Unlike the common surfactants of single head-to-tail structure and the naturally occurring phospholipids of one head and two tails, the synthesized POP derivative is a symmetrical structure of four hydrophilic heads and one long hydrophobic block. Through the complementary noncovalent bonding forces, the molecules tend to align into molecular bundles or loops as the primary structure. The formation of different morphologies is controlled by the intermolecular forces including hydrogen bonding, aromatic pi-pi stacking, ionic charge, and hydrophobic interaction, in a concerted manner.     

Indistinguishability of the models of molecular self-assembly

Numerous applications dealing with molecular aggregation at the interface of biology, physics and chemistry use either the dimer or the indefinite equilibrium constant models even though there is the well-known property of indistinguishability of the models with respect to fitting experimental data by various experimental techniques. The problem of indistinguishability is uncovered in the present work and the way in which the existing paradigm of how these models should be applied to analysis of molecular self-association is suggested.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic separation of bile acids and bile alcohols diastereoisomeric at C-25

The high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of the 25R and 25S diastereoisomers of the bile alcohols 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha,26-triol and 5 beta-cholestane-3 alpha,7 alpha, 12 alpha, 26-tetrol and the bile acids, 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholestane-26-oic acid and 3 alpha,7 alpha,12 alpha-trihydroxy-5 beta-cholestane-26-oic acid is described. A Radial-Pak microBondapak C18 reversed-phase cartridge was used for the separations and elutions were carried out with acetonitrile-water-methanol-acetic acid mixtures. All eight diastereoisomeric compounds showed baseline separation when up to 200 micrograms of the isomeric mixtures were injected into the column and the method can be used for isolation of pure diastereoisomers of these bile acids and bile alcohols.     

Designed self-assembly of molecular necklaces

This paper reports an efficient strategy to synthesize molecular necklaces, in which a number of small rings are threaded onto a large ring, utilizing the principles of self-assembly and coordination chemistry. Our strategy involves (1) threading a molecular "bead" with a short "string" to make a pseudorotaxane and then (2) linking the pseudorotaxanes with a metal complex with two cis labile ligands acting as an "angle connector" to form a cyclic product (molecular necklace). A 4- or 3-pyridylmethyl group is attached to each end of 1,4-diaminobutane or 1,5-diaminopentane to produce the short "strings" (C4N4(2+), C4N3(2+), C5N4(2+), and C5N3(2+)), which then react with a cucurbituril (CB) "bead" to form stable pseudorotaxanes (PR44(2+), PR43(2+), PR54(2+), and PR53(2+), respectively). The reaction of the pseudorotaxanes with Pt(en)(NO(3))(2) (en = ethylenediamine) produces a molecular necklace [4]MN, in which three molecular "beads" are threaded on a triangular framework, and/or a molecular necklace [5]MN, in which four molecular "beads" are threaded on a square framework. Under refluxing conditions, the reaction with PR44(2+) or PR54(2+) yields exclusively [4]MN (MN44T or MN54T, respectively), whereas that with PR43(2+) or PR53(2+) produces exclusively [5]MN (MN43S or MN53S, respectively). The products have been characterized by various methods including X-ray crystallography. At lower temperatures, on the other hand, the reaction with PR44(2+) or PR54(2+) affords both [4]MN and [5]MN. The supermolecules reported here are the first series of molecular necklaces obtained as thermodynamic products. The overall structures of the molecular necklaces are strongly influenced by the structures of pseudorotaxane building blocks, which is discussed in detail on the basis of the X-ray crystal structures. The temperature dependence of the product distribution observed in this self-assembly process is also discussed.     

Nonlinear electrical dipolar switching at single molecular scale

At the single molecular scale (less than 2 Å × 2 Å × 9.8 Å), the nonlinear electrical dipolar switching behavior from crystalline two-monolayer polyvinylidene fluoride films was measured using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). The atomic structure of the polymer chain was clearly imaged by the STM. The nonlinear switching behavior at the single molecular scale appears as the hysteresis in the tunneling current–voltage relationship with switching onset voltage of 0.19 V/monomer. The nonlinear dipolar switching behavior at the single molecular scale has many potential applications including single molecular scale switching devices and re-writable non-volatile memories.     

Control the self-assembly of fluorenone-based polycatenars by tuning chain length

Using Suzuki coupling reactions as key steps, a series of fluorenone-based polycatenars, consisting of a central 2,7-diphenyl-9-fluorenone core connected with the 3,4,5-trialkoxybenzoate unit via –COO- linkage at each side have been synthesized. Upon elongation of the terminal alkyl chain, these compounds self-assembled into mesophase sequence of Col_hex/p6mm - Cub_I/$\mathit{Pm}\overline{3}n$ in solid states as well as organogels with interesting morphologies varied from 3D helical fibers to spherical structures in solvents.     

Nanorings from the self-assembly of amphiphilic molecular dumbbells

We have prepared amphiphilic dumbbell molecules consisting of hydrophobic alkyl chains and hydrophilic oligoether dendrons at each end of the rod segment. The molecular dumbbells, in aqueous solution, self-assemble into toroids as an intermediate nanostructure between spherical and long cylindrical micelles. The formation of toroidal structure is likely to originate from side by side connections of discrete bundles through the combination of strong hydrophobic interactions and anisotropic aggregation of rod segments.     

Hydrogen bonding control of molecular self-assembly

In this short review we describe approaches to the design and construction of synthetic molecules that mimic the process of self organization that is at the heart of biological complexity. Multi-subunit enzymes, viruses, and higher order DNA structures are formed by the non-covalent association of many smaller components. This self-assembly is controlled by the nature, number and orientation of interacting groups on the surface of the subunits. The central problem lies in overcoming the unfavorable entropy of multi-subunit association by significant enthalpic contribution from the binding of complementary regions on the subunits. We will place particular emphasis on the design of synthetic molecules that use hydrogen bonding interactions to control the formation of aggregates of well-defined structure.     

Controlled self-assembly of triphenylene-based molecular nanostructures

Molecular nanostructures of the disc-shaped molecule hexapentyloxytriphenylene have been fabricated on length scales ranging from 30 nm to 1.5 mum following self-assembly arising from pi-pi interactions in organic solvents. The size and density of the molecular nanostructures deposited onto glass and indium tin oxide-coated glass substrates were characterized by atomic force microscopy. Dynamic light scattering and spectroscopic evidence of predeposition aggregation in solution are presented, suggesting that the nanostructures are organized in solution and then deposited onto the substrate. Correlations between the relative solvent polarity and the size of molecular nanostructures as well as between the solute concentration in dilute solutions and their density on the substrate are discussed.     

Morphological behavior of thin polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane films at the molecular scale

Synchrotron X-ray reflectivity (XRR) was used to study the structure of thin films of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) with side organic chains of different flexibility and containing terminal epoxy groups. POSS films were deposited from volatile solvents on hydroxylated and hydrogen-passivated silicon surfaces. The XRR data show a variety of structural morphologies, including autophobic molecular monolayers and bilayers as well as uniform films. The role of conformational and energetic factors governing the development of different morphologies in a restricted geometry is discussed.     

Diastereomeric molecular recognition and binding behavior of bile acids by L/D-tryptophan-modified beta-cyclodextrins

[reaction: see text] Binding behavior of L- and D-tryptophan-modified beta-cyclodextrins (L/D-Trp-beta-CD) (1 and 2) with four bile acids, i.e., cholate (CA), deoxycholate (DCA), glycocholate (GCA), and taurocholate (TCA), has been investigated by fluorescence, circular dichroism, and 2D-NMR spectroscopies and fluorescence lifetime measurement, as well as isothermal titration microcalorimetry. From the induced circular dichroism (ICD) and 2D NMR spectra, it is deduced that the D-Trp moiety of 2 attached to beta-CD is more deeply self-included in the cavity than that of the antipodal L-Trp moiety of 1, indicating appreciably enantioselective binding of the chiral sidearm by beta-CD. Interestingly, the original difference in conformation between 1 and 2 led to quite a large difference in affinity toward DCA, giving 3.3 times higher binding ability for 2 than for 1. Thermodynamically, the inclusion complexation of 1 and 2 with bile acids was entirely driven by favorable enthalpy change (DeltaH degrees) with accompanying negative entropy change (DeltaS degrees). The stronger binding of bile acids by L/D-Trp-beta-CD is attributable to higher enthalpic gains. The combined use of the calorimetric and NMR ROESY spectral examinations revealed the correlation between the thermodynamic parameters and the role of sidearm conformation in modified beta-cyclodextrins.     

Persistence length control of the polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer self-assembly on carbon nanotubes

We have studied layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte self-assembly on pristine individual single-wall carbon nanotubes as a function of solution ionic strength. We report the existence of an ionic strength threshold for the deposition, below which the majority of nanotubes remain uncoated. Once the ionic strength reaches the threshold value, the majority of the individual nanotubes become coated with polyelectrolytes. Our results indicate that the self-assembly process likely involves wrapping of polymer chains around nanotubes and that the polymer chain's ability to bend in order to accommodate the nanotube curvature is one of the critical parameters controlling layer-by-layer electrostatic self-assembly on these one-dimensional templates.