Handedness inversion of chiral amphiphilic molecular assemblies evidenced by supramolecular chiral imprinting in mesoporous silica assemblies

Antipodal twisted helical ribbons with lamellar bilayer structure were obtained by self-assembly of chiral amphiphilic molecules in water and water/ethanol. The handedness inversion of the molecular arrangement in these antipodal helical ribbons was investigated by using chiroptical spectroscopy and molecular probes in their antipodal mesoporous silica assemblies synthesized through pairing interaction between the head group of the chiral amphiphilic molecules and a co-structure-directing agent. The supramolecular chirality is imprinted in the pore surface through the organic group of the co-structure-directing agent. The mirror-image diffuse-reflectance circular dichroism spectra of the conjugated discotic probing molecule introduced into their supramolecular chiral imprinted mesoporous silica demonstrated the origin of inverse chirality from the antipodal helical stacking of the molecules.     

Unraveling the mechanism of nanotube formation by chiral self-assembly of amphiphiles

The self-assembly of nanotubes from chiral amphiphiles and peptide mimics is still poorly understood. Here, we present the first complete path to nanotubes by chiral self-assembly studied with C(12)-β(12) (N-α-lauryl-lysyl-aminolauryl-lysyl-amide), a molecule designed to have unique hybrid architecture. Using the technique of direct-imaging cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), we show the time-evolution from micelles of C(12)-β(12) to closed nanotubes, passing through several types of one-dimensional (1-D) intermediates such as elongated fibrils, twisted ribbons, and coiled helical ribbons. Scattering and diffraction techniques confirm that the fundamental unit is a monolayer lamella of C(12)-β(12), with the hydrophobic tails in the gel state and β-sheet arrangement. The lamellae are held together by a combination of hydrophobic interactions, and two sets of hydrogen-bonding networks, supporting C(12)-β(12) monomers assembly into fibrils and associating fibrils into ribbons. We further show that neither the "growing width" model nor the "closing pitch" model accurately describe the process of nanotube formation, and both ribbon width and pitch grow with maturation. Additionally, our data exclusively indicate that twisted ribbons are the precursors for coiled ribbons, and the latter structures give rise to nanotubes, and we show chirality is a key requirement for nanotube formation.     

Camouflaged carborane amphiphiles: synthesis and self-assembly

A series of amphiphilic amine hydrochloride salts of B-polymethylated (camouflaged) (aminoalkyl)- and bis(aminoalkyl)carboranes have been designed and synthesized in high yield for the purpose of constructing novel carborane-based nanomaterials. Due to the distinct separation of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions within each salt, the mono- and disubstituted amphiphiles spontaneously self-assembled upon sonication into rod-shape micro/nanostructures in aqueous solutions. The effects of concentration, method of dispersion, solvent, chain length, counterion, ionic charge, and underlying carborane cage structure on the formation of the these rod products were investigated. The microrods have been studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), optical microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA), and FTIR. For the first time, this work clearly demonstrates the self-assembly of B-polymethylated carboranes into supramolecular structures.     

Rheological behavior of surfactant-based precursors of silica mesoporous materials

The linear and non-linear viscoelastic behaviors of polymer-like micellar solutions of cetyltrimethylammonium tosilate (CTAT) with added NaOH and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to produce precursors of mesoporous materials are studied. The effect of TEOS/CTAT (T/C) ratio at fixed CTAT concentration, CTAT concentration at fixed T/C and aging time are reported. The systems show increasingly larger deviations from near-Maxwell behavior upon increasing T/C ratio, CTAT concentration and aging. Moreover, in steady and unsteady shear-flow, shear banding develops between two critical shear rates, which tend to fade as the T/C ratio and aging increase. The Granek-Cates model is employed to analyze linear viscoelastic behavior. The Bautista-Manero-Puig (BMP) model is used here to reproduce the steady and transient nonlinear rheology of these systems. We explain these results in terms of the changes in inter-macromolecular interactions that arise out of the presence of colloidal additives in the viscoelastic gel. The ordered mesoporous materials were identified by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.     

Handedness inversion of chiral mesoporous silica: A diffuse-reflectance circular dichroism study

Temperature-depended handedness inversion in chiral mesoporous silica was investigated by diffuse-reflectance circular dichroism spectra.     

Chiral translation and cooperative self-assembly of discrete helical structures using molecular recognition dyads

Complementary diaminopyridine (DAP) and flavin derivatives self-assemble into discrete helically stacked tetrads in hydrocarbon solvents. The self-assembled structure was demonstrated through induced circular dichroism using DAPs with chiral side-chains and flavin with achiral side-chains. Flavin derivatives with chiral side-chains were synthesized; cooperativity in the self-assembly was established through circular dichroism (CD) profiles and melting curves. It was found that placing stereocenters in both recognition units resulted in a strong bisignated profile and enhancement of complex stability, indicative of cooperative self-assembly.     

Chiral nematic assemblies of silver nanoparticles in mesoporous silica thin films

Silver nanoparticles (NPs) have been synthesized inside mesoporous silica films with chiral nematic structure. Circular dichroism measurements of the silver NP-loaded silica films show NP-based optical activity in the vicinity of the surface plasmon resonance. These materials, with an optical response associated with the chiral assembly of metal NPs, may be useful for developing new sensors.     

Bifunctional chiral synthons via biochemical methods, 4. Chiral precursors to (+)-biotin and (−)-a-factor.

The chirons 3 and 4, derived from enzymic enantioselective hydrolysis of 1 and 2, are converted into the chiral lactones 5 and 6, key precursors to (+)-biotin and (?)-A-factor, respectively.     

Preparing molecularly imprinted nanoparticles of saponins via cooperative imprinting strategy

Saponin is an important class of natural products with various pharmacological activities. The selective separation of saponins is an essential step before further analysis. Molecular imprinting has been an effective strategy for preparing antibody mimics. However, a facile and efficient imprinting strategy for saponins is still lacking owing to their amphiphilic nature. Herein, we have prepared the saponins imprinted nanoparticles via cooperative imprinting strategy. This new strategy relies on the combination of various non‐covalent interactions (hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding) and covalent boronate affinity interactions. The obtained imprinted nanoparticles could rebind specific saponins from complex matrices with good selectivity, superb tolerance to interference, and fast binding equilibrium. This method was verified to be versatile and facile. Thus, this strategy could greatly facilitate the preparation of imprinted nanoparticles for the specific recognition of saponins.     

Synthesis of chiral mesoporous silica and its potential application to asymmetric separation

Chiral mesoporous silica (CMS) has been successfully synthesized in the presence of basic amino acids; the use of basic amino acids in combination with the chiral anionic surfactant is advantageous for the formation of CMS in terms of uniformity in the twisted morphology. We first demonstrate that thus obtained chiral mesoporous silicas can be used for the enantioselective separation of racemic compounds; the helical rod-shaped CMS is found to be capable of asymmetric separation of racemic N-trifluoroacetylalanine ethyl ester (CF₃CO-Ala-OEt). The left handedness-rich CMS shows asymmetric preferential adsorption of the L isomer and vice versa.     

Synthesis and hierarchical self-assembly of cavity-containing facial amphiphiles

The synthesis and aggregation behavior of cavity-containing facial amphiphiles is described. The molecules consist of a glycoluril-based rigid cavity functionalized with two water-soluble benzoate groups. By specific molecular recognition processes in water, the amphiphilic hosts self-assemble in a hierarchical process to form arrays of molecules. Depending on the counterions, these arrays can be assembled into well-defined aggregates of mesoscopic size. The size and shape of the aggregates can be tuned by variations in the size and substitution pattern of the cavities of the host molecules.     

Synthesis and characterization of mesoporous silica from selectively acid-treated saponite as the precursors

Mesoporous silicas were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment of selectively acid-treated saponite (an ideal structural formula: Na(1/3)Mg(3)(Si(11/3)Al(1/3))O(10)(OH)(2)), having a 2:1 type layered structure as the silica source and its porous properties were examined and compared with that from kaolinite (an ideal structural formula: Al(2)Si(2)O(5)(OH)(4)), having a 1:1 type layered structure. Synthetic saponite was selectively leached in H(2)SO(4) solutions with various concentrations (0.05-1 M) at 70 degrees C for 0.5 h. The resulting products (precursors) were mixed with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTABr), NaOH and H(2)O, hydrothermally treated at 110 degrees C and removed the CTABr by calcining at 560 degrees C. A hexagonal mesoporous phase was obtained with higher Si/(Al(+Mg)) ratios of the resulting precursors. The XRD patterns of these products show the peaks assigned by a hexagonal lattice with a(0)=4.0-4.6 nm and the crystallinity becomes higher with higher Si/(Al(+Mg)) ratios of the precursors. The specific surface area (S(BET)) values of the present mesoporous silicas range from 800 to 1100 m(2)/g at CTABr/precursor=0.1 and although they are not as high as those from precursors prepared from calcining and acid-treatment of kaolinite (1420 m(2)/g), they are increased to 1400-1500 m(2)/g by increasing the ratio CTABr/precursor 0.2. The reason for the difference in the optimum preparation conditions between saponite and kaolinite may be attributed to the difference in the linkage of the SiO(4) tetrahedra in these precursors (i.e. layered or framework structures), which result in great differences in the selective leaching rates and structures of the resulting silica-rich products.     

Anion-directed self-assembly in coordination networks: architectural control via cooperative noncovalent interactions

The self-assembly of a new flexible tritopic pyrazine-pyridine ligand (pz-3-py) with HgX(2) (X = Cl, Br) was investigated. The results show that coordinated chloride and bromide anions play different roles, and two architecturally different coordination polymers were obtained with the anions used. Where X = Cl, in [Hg(μ(3)-pz-3-py)Cl(2)](n) (1), the 2D network is isolated, while for X = Br, in [Hg(μ-pz-3-py)Br(2)](n) (2), a 1D zigzag chain is constructed. Our results show that noncovalent interactions such as hydrogen bond, halogen···halogen, and halogen···π interactions, when acting cooperatively, are driving forces for the selection of different structures.     

Chelating DTPA amphiphiles: ion-tunable self-assembly structures and gadolinium complexes

A series of chelating amphiphiles and their gadolinium (Gd(iii)) metal complexes have been synthesized and studied with respect to their neat and lyotropic liquid crystalline phase behavior. These amphiphiles have the ability to form ion-tunable self-assembly nanostructures and their associated Gd(III) complexes have potential as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast enhancement agents. The amphiphiles are composed of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) chelates conjugated to one or two oleyl chain(s) (DTPA-MO and DTPA-BO), or isoprenoid-type chain(s) of phytanyl (DTPA-MP and DTPA-BP). The thermal phase behavior of the neat amphiphiles was examined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cross polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Self-assembly of neat amphiphiles and their associated Gd complexes, as well as their lyotropic phase behavior in water and sodium acetate solutions of different ionic strengths, were examined by POM and small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS). All neat amphiphiles exhibited lamellar structures. The non-complexed amphiphiles showed a variety of lyotropic phases depending on the number and nature of the hydrophobic chain in addition to the ionic state of the hydration. Upon hydration with increased Na-acetate concentration and the subtle changes in the effective headgroup size, the interfacial curvature of the amphiphile increased, altering the lyotropic liquid crystalline structures towards higher order mesophases such as the gyroid (Ia3d) bicontinuous cubic phase. The chelation of Gd with the DTPA amphiphiles resulted in lamellar crystalline structures for all the neat amphiphiles. Upon hydration with water, the Gd-complexed mono-conjugates formed micellar or vesicular self-assemblies, whilst the bis-conjugates transformed only partially into lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophases.     

以手性两亲小分子为模板剂制备介孔二氧化硅纳米空心球

以L-亮氨酸为手性源合成了手性阳离子两亲性小分子化合物L-18Leu6NEtBr,用其自组装体作为模板,氢氧化钠为催化剂,经溶胶-凝胶过程制备出介孔二氧化硅纳米空心球;分析了介孔二氧化硅纳米空心球的尺寸和孔径.结果表明,所制备的二氧化硅空心球直径约100nm;其介孔孔道平行于壳表面,孔径为3.1nm.     

Chiral cyclohexanoid synthetic precursors via asymmetricmicrobial reduction of prochiral cyclohexanediones

Microbial reduction of various 2,2-disubstituted-1,3-cyclohexanediones with bakers' yeast provides efficient access to chiral cyclohexanoid synthetic precursors.     

Templating mesoporous silica with chiral block copolymers and its application for enantioselective separation

In this paper we describe the synthesis of chiral mesoporous silica based on chiral block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) and of d-phenylalanine (PEO-b-D-Phe) as a surfactant template. The resulting porous structures are characterized by nitrogen sorption experiments, transmission electron microscopy, and small-angle XRD. It is shown that chiral block copolymers of PEO-b-D-Phe are effective as a surfactant template for the preparation of silica materials with highly ordered periodic mesoporous structures of hexagonal symmetry with a pore size of ca. 5 nm and high surface areas of ca. 700 m2/g. The enantioselectivity feature of this porous silica, after the extraction of the chiral copolymers, was examined by selective adsorption of enantiomers and racemic solutions of valine. The selective adsorption was measured by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. A chiral selectivity factor of 2.34 was found with the D enantiomer of valine adsorbed preferably.