Analytical applications of organized molecular assemblies

Organized molecular assemblies have great potential utility in many types of analytical method. This review is concerned with recent of micelles, reversed micelles and micro-emulsions in shifting acid-base equilibria, and in electrochemical measurements, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, micellar-echanced phosphorimetry and fluorimetry, liquid-liquid extraction, flame and plasmas atomic spectrometry, and high-performance and thin-layer liquid chromatography.     

The development of zeolite-entrapped organized molecular assemblies

A brief summary is presented of the development of organized molecular assemblies entrapped within the supercages of Y-zeolite. Emphasis is placed on work originating in the author's laboratory, although a discussion of some of the important contributions made by other workers, which inspired and facilitated this work, are included. Following pioneering studies by Lunsford and co-workers, which demonstrated the feasibility of encapsulating the common photosensitizer [Ru(bpy)3]2+ within the Y-zeolite supercage, Dutta and co-workers documented efficient photoinduced electron transfer to viologen acceptors occupying neighboring supercages. We have extended the range of available materials by developing synthetically versatile methods to permit the incorporation of heteroleptic complexes, including constituent ligands which contain peripheral nitrogen donor groups; for example, 2,2'-bipyrazine. In an impressive study employing zeolite-excluded acceptors, Dutta and co-workers showed that the reducing equivalents available from photoinduced electron transfer from the zeolite entrapped sensitizer to intra-zeolite acceptors could be transferred to the extra-zeolite acceptors in aqueous suspensions, although the net charge-separation efficiency was low, presumably because of a persistent relatively efficient back-electron transfer process involving the primary photoproduct; that is, the entrapped sensitizer-acceptor dyad. Exploiting the susceptibility of certain heteroleptic complexes to add reactive ruthenium reagents, methods were developed to construct spatially organized donor-sensitizer-acceptor triads within the supercage framework of Y-zeolite. Such assemblies exhibit dramatically improved net charge-separation efficiencies, presumably as a consequence of inhibiting the wasteful back-electron transfer reaction between the initial sensitizer-acceptor couple.     

Interaction of water-soluble cationic porphyrin with anionic surfactant

The interaction of a cationic water-soluble porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis [4-(3-pyridiniumpropoxy)phenyl]porphyrin tetrakisbromide (TPPOC3Py), with anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), in aqueous solution has been studied by means of UV-vis, (1)H NMR, fluorescence, circular dichroism (CD) spectra and dynamic laser light scattering (DLLS), and it reveals that TPPOC3Py forms porphyrin-surfactant complexes (aggregates), including ordered structures J- and H-aggregates, induced by association with surfactant monomers below the SDS critical micelle concentration (cmc), and forms micellized monomer upon the cmc, respectively. The position of TPPOC3Py in the micelle is determined, which is not in the micelle core instead of intercalated among the SDS chains, most likely with the pyridinium group extending into the polar headgroup region of the micelle.     

Transitions of organized assemblies in mixed systems of cationic bolaamphiphile and anionic conventional surfactants

The transition from vesicles to tubelike structures has been studied in mixed systems of cationic bolaamphiphile BPHTAB [biphenyl-4,4'-bis(oxyhexamethylenetrimethylammonium bromide)] and its oppositely charged conventional surfactants with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). This transition can be attributed to the fact that tube-like structures are more stable aggregates than vesicles because of the special molecular packing in the aggregates of the mixed systems. The effects of temperature and salt addition on this transition have also been investigated, and the rate of the transition was found to be strongly dependent on temperature. Addition of the appropriate amount of NaBr will accelerate the transition from vesicles to tube-like structures, but the vesicles will transform into micelles at higher salt concentration. Moreover, the micelle-vesicle transition can be realized by addition of n-octanol in the mixed system of BPHTAB/sodium caprate (SC) at higher salt concentrations.     

Polymerization of organized polymer assemblies

Supramolecular chemistry has provided the means by which to selectively assemble small and large molecules into intricate two- and three-dimensional nanostructures. The past 2 years have witnessed considerable increase in extending such self-assembled structures into stable, single macromolecular nano-objects, through intra-assembly covalent bond formation. The selective polymerization of specific domains within organized polymer assemblies allows for the preparation of crosslinked, nanostructured bulk or particulate materials, with a variety of possible morphologies and properties.     

Interaction of cationic surfactant and anionic polyelectrolytes in mixed aqueous solutions

Surfactant–polymer interactions in aqueous solutions have been studied using dynamic surface tension, polyelectrolyte titration, nephelometric turbidity, and dynamic light scattering. For the preparation of complexes, a technical cationic surfactant was used in combination with two poly(maleic acid-co-polymers) of similar structure but different hydrophobicity. The dynamic surface tensions of mixed solutions as functions of surfactant concentration at constant polyelectrolyte content, as well as changes in the surface activity due to the influence of polyanion at constant surfactant concentration are discussed in terms of a complex or aggregate formation in the bulk phase. The interaction of the surfactant with poly(maleic acid-alt-propene) (P-MS-P) and poly(maleic acid-alt--methylstyrene) (P-MS-MeSty), respectively, is strong in both cases and results in the formation of nanoparticles with properties depending on the composition of the corresponding mixture.     

Supramolecular assemblies and molecular recognition of amphiphilic schiff bases with barbituric acid in organized molecular films

A bolaform Schiff base, N,N'-bis(salicylidene)-1,10-decanediamine (BSC10), has been synthesized and its interfacial hydrogen bond formation or molecular recognition with barbituric acid was investigated in comparison with that of a single chain Schiff base, 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde-octadecylamine (HBOA). It has been found that while HBOA formed a monolayer at the air/water interface, the bolaform Schiff base formed a multilayer film with ordered layer structure on water surface. When the Schiff bases were spread on the subphase containing barbituric acid, both of the Schiff bases could form hydrogen bonds with barbituric acid in situ in the spreading films. As a result, an increase of the molecular areas in the isotherms was observed. The in situ H-bonded films could be transferred onto solid substrates, and the transferred multilayer films were characterized by various methods such as UV-vis and FT-IR spectrosopies. Spectral changes were observed for the films deposited from the barbituric acid subphase, which supported the hydrogen bond formation between the Schiff bases and barbituric acid. By measuring the MS-TOF of the deposited films dissolved in CHCl3 solution, it was concluded that a 2:1 complex of HBOA with barbituric acid and a 1:2 complex of BSC10 with barbituric acid were formed. On the other hand, when the multilayer films of both Schiff bases were immersed in an aqueous solution of barbituric acid, a similar molecular recognition through the hydrogen bond occurred. A clear conformational change of the alkyl spacer in the bolaform Schiff base was observed during the complex formation with the barbituric acid.     

Photoinduced intra- and intermolecular electron transfer in solutions and in solid organized molecular assemblies

The present paper highlights results of a systematic study of photoinduced electron transfer, where the fundamental aspects of the photochemistry occurring in solutions and in artificially or self-assembled molecular systems are combined and compared. In photochemical electron transfer (ET) reactions in solutions the electron donor, D, and acceptor, A, have to be or to diffuse to a short distance, which requires a high concentration of quencher molecules and/or long lifetimes of the excited donor or acceptor, which cannot always be arranged. The problem can partly be avoided by linking the donor and acceptor moieties covalently by a single bond, molecular chain or chains, or rigid bridge, forming D-A dyads. The covalent combination of porphyrin or phthalocyanine donors with an efficient electron acceptor, e.g. fullerene, has a two-fold effect on the electron transfer properties. Firstly, the electronic systems of the D-A pair result in a formation of an exciplex intermediate upon excitation both in solutions and in solid phases. The formation of the exciplex accelerates the ET rate, which was found to be as fast as >10(12) s(-1). Secondly, the total reorganization energy can be as small as 0.3 eV, even in polar solvents, which allows nanosecond lifetimes for the charge separated (CS) state. Molecular assemblies can form solid heterogeneous, but organized systems, e.g. molecular layers. This results in more complex charge separation and recombination dynamics. A distinct feature of the ET in organized assemblies is intermolecular interactions, which open a possibility for a charge migration both in the acceptor and in the donor layers, after the primary intramolecular exciplex formation and charge separation in the D-A dyad. The intramolecular ET is fast (35 ps) and efficient, but the formed interlayer CS states have lifetimes in microsecond or even second time domain. This is an important result considering possible applications.     

Anion-directed organized assemblies of protonated pyrazole-based ionic salts

The reactions of 3(5)-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5(3)-phenyl-1H-pyrazole (L ¹ ) with nitric acid and 5-(4-benzyloxyphenyl)-3-(furan-2-yl)-1H-pyrazole(L ² ) with hydrochloric acid produced [HL ¹ · NO₃] (Salt-1) and [HL ² · Cl] (Salt-2). The structures of Salt-1 and Salt-2 were determined by single crystal X-diffraction. In Salt-1, HL ¹ showed [2 + 2] binding of NO₃ ^? ions in the solid state to form dimer architecture with R ₁ ² (4) and R ₄ ⁴ (14) graph sets. An anion directed one-dimensional anion-assisted helical chain with active participation of the chloride ion and protonated pyrazole via N–H···Cl hydrogen bonding in Salt-2. In addition, the protonated HL ² molecules interacted with each other through weak C–H···π interactions resulting in the formation of another one-dimensional helical chain.     

Zeolite-based organized molecular assemblies. photophysical characterization and documentation of donor oxidation upon photosensitized charge separation

An organized molecular assembly composed of two ruthenium polypyridine complexes, Ru(bpy)(2)(bpz)(2+) and Ru(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)(2+) (where bpy = 2, 2'-bipyridine and bpz = 2, 2'-bipyrazine), has been prepared in adjacent supercages of Y-zeolite. This material has been characterized by diffuse reflectance, electronic absorption, electronic emission, and resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy, as well as lifetime measurements. The spectral results confirm the identity of the entrapped complexes and resonance Raman measurements show that the relative concentrations of the two complexes within the zeolite particles are identical. A dramatic decrease in emission intensity observed for the adjacent cage assembly, relative to that observed for an appropriate reference material composed of a mixture of zeolite particles containing the separated complexes, indicates strong interaction between the adjacent complexes which provides an additional nonradiative decay pathway. The excited state lifetime measurements implicate a very short-lived component, dominating the decay curve at early times, which is most reasonably attributed to excited-state electron-transfer quenching of the adjacent cage pair. More importantly, analysis of diffuse reflectance spectra acquired during selective (sensitizer) irradiation of a sample of this material, wherein the remaining cages are filled with a suitable acceptor (MV(2+)), provides direct evidence for oxidation of the Ru(bpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)(2+) donor complex, confirming the targeted synergy of the adjacent cage assembly.     

Effects of anionic surfactant SDS on the photophysical properties of two fluorescent molecular sensors

Two fluorescent molecular sensors CS1 and CS2 were designed and synthesized to probe the aggregate behavior of anionic surfactant SDS. CS1 was based on the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) mechanism, while CS2 was founded on the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. The photophysical properties of CS1–2 in anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution were studied by fluorescence and UV–vis methods. The experimental results show that significant absorption and emission spectral responses of CS1 were observed with the addition of SDS: the absorbance and fluorescence intensity decreased first and then increased. The plot of fluorescence intensity of CS1 versus SDS concentration showed two break points, which might be ascribed to the critical micellar concentration (cmc) and the formation of premicelle (cac) aggregate, respectively. But the solution’s color of CS2 changed from yellow to red with increasing SDS concentrations. The large red-shift in both absorption (50 nm) and emission (55 nm) spectra of CS2 was resulted from the protonation of the electron accepting moiety (NC nitrogen), which enhanced the “push–pull” interaction of the ICT fluorophore. This was facilitated by the increase of local H⁺ concentration around SDS premicelle and micelle. As a consequence, pK_a values of CS1 and CS2 were elevated in SDS micelle.     

TRANES analysis of the fluorescence of nile red in organized molecular assemblies confirms emission from two species

Time-resolved area normalized emission spectroscopy (TRANES) is a new method for the analysis of fluorescence of dyes in complex chemical and biological systems (A S R Koti, M M G Krishna and N Periasamy, 2001,J. Phys. Chem. 105, 1767). The model-free method extends the power of time-resolved emission spectroscopy (TRES) analysis and removes the ambiguity in the interpretation when the emission spectrum is time-dependent. Observation of an isoemissive point in TRANES analysis of fluorescence is an unambiguous indication for the presence of two emissive species in the sample. The isoemissive point occurs at a wavelength where the ratio of the radiative rates of the two species is equal to the ratio of their total radiative rates. The polarity-sensitive nile red dye shows time-dependent emission spectra in the organized bilayer assemblies of TX micelle and bilayer egg-phosphotidylcholine (egg-PC) membrane. Time-dependent spectra in complex systems support many important models (solvation model and heterogeneity in the ground and/or excited state). TRANES analysis shows that the fluorescence emission of nile red in TX micelle and egg-PC membrane is due to two emissive species solubilized in different sites.     

The interaction of an anionic gemini surfactant with conventional anionic surfactants

The interaction in two mixtures of an anionic gemini surfactant having N ,N -dialkylamide and carboxylate groups in a molecule, (CH2)2[N(COC11H23)CH(CO2H)CH2(CO2H)]2. 2NaOH (GA), and conventional anionic surfactants have been investigated in 0.1 M NaCl at pH 5.0. The two mixtures are GA/sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and GA/sodium N -dodecanoylglutamate (AGS) at a molar fraction of GA, alphaGA = 0.25 . Mixtures of both GA/SDS and GA/AGS exhibit synergism in surface tension reduction effectiveness. The GA/SDS mixture also exhibits synergism in surface tension reduction efficiency and mixed micelle formation, whereas the GA/AGS mixture does not. The interaction in mixed adsorption film formation is stronger than that in mixed micelle formation for the two mixtures. The interaction in the formation of the mixed adsorption film and the mixed micelle for the GA/SDS mixture is stronger in both formations than that for the GA/AGS mixture. The stronger interaction for the GA/SDS mixture may be caused by the combination of the smaller minimum area per molecule at the air/water interface (Amin) of the head groups in the GA molecule and the larger Amin in the SDS molecule.     

Anionic surfactant selective electrode for the titrimetric determination of anionic surfactant

The construction and characteristic performance of a PVC membrane electrode responsive for sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) are described in this paper. The electrode based on CTA⁺DS^? ion pair as ionophore in PVC membrane displays a Nernstian slope of ?58.8 ± 0.7 mV/decade in a 1.32 × 10^?6 to 3.75 × 10^?3 mol L^?1 concentration range and a limit of detection of 1.13 × 10^?6 mol L^?1. The electrode can be used for 3 months without showing significant changes in the value of slope or working range. The electrode has been utilized as an end point indicator electrode for potentiometric titration involving Hyamine as titrant. More than 100 titrations were carried out for the evaluation of the electrode parameters: the standard deviations of the equivalent volume and the equivalent potential, the height of the potential jump and the number of faulty titrations. The behavior of the electrode was assessed with regard to their usefulness in routine analysis.     

Photo-gated charge transfer of organized assemblies of CdSe quantum dots

The electronic conductivity of tri-n-octylphosphineoxide (TOPO)-protected CdSe quantum dots (QDs) was studied at the air-water interface using the Langmuir technique within the context of photochemical and photophysical excitation. It was found that, upon photoirradiation with photon energies higher than that of the absorption threshold, the voltammetric currents increased rather substantially with a pair of voltammetric peaks at positive potentials. However, the photoconductivity profiles exhibited a dynamic transition, which was ascribed to the strong affinity of oxygen onto the CdSe surface and the consequent trapping of the photogenerated electrons. The resulting excess of holes led to photocorrosion of the particle cores. The oxygen adsorption and photoetching processes were found to be reversible upon cessation of the photoexcitation. In contrast, only featureless voltammetric responses were observed when the particle monolayers were deposited onto the electrode surface and the film conductance was measured in a vacuum (the overall profiles were analogous to that of a Coulomb blockade). A comparative study was also carried out with a CdSe dropcast thick film immersed in acetonitrile, where the photoconductivity profiles were reversible and almost linear. The latter was attributed to the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes which were subsequently collected at the electrodes under voltammetric control. In the dropcast system, the oxygen effects were minimal which was ascribed to the acetontrile medium that limited the access to oxygen and thus the particles were chemically intact. These studies suggest that chemical environment plays an important role in the determination of the chemical stability and electronic conductivity of CdSe QD thin films.     

Organised surfactant assemblies in analytical atomic spectrometry

The use of surfactant-based organised assemblies in analytical atomic spectroscopy is extensively and critically reviewed along three main lines: first, the ability of organised media to enhance detection of atomic spectroscopic methods by favourable manipulation of physical and chemical properties of the sample solution second, the extension of separation mechanisms by resorting to organised media and third a discussion of synergistic combinations of liquid chromatography separations and atomic detectors via the use of vesicular mobile phases. Changes in physical properties of sample solutions aspirated in atomic spectrometry by addition of surfactants can be advantageously used in at least four different ways: (i) to improve nebulisation efficiency; (ii) to enhance wettability of solid surfaces used for atomisation; (iii) to improve compatibility between aqueous and organic phases; and (iv) to achieve good dispersion of small particles in “slurry” techniques. Controversial results and statements published so far are critically discussed.The ability of surfactant-based organised assemblies, such as micelles and vesicles, to organise reactants at the molecular level has also been applied to enhance the characteristics of chemical generation of volalite species of metals and semi-metals (e.g., hydride or ethylide generation of As, Pb, Cd, Se, Sn, and cold vapour Hg generation) used in atomic methods. Enhancements in efficiency/transport of volatile species, increases in the reaction kinetics, stabilisation of some unstable species and changes in the selectivity of the reactions by surfactants are dealt with.Non-chromatographic cloud-point separations to design pre-concentration procedures with subsequent metal determination by atomic methods are addressed along with chromatographic separations of expanded scope by addition of surfactants to the conventional aqueous mobile phases of reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.Finally, the synergistic effect of using vesicles to improve both the separation capabilities of reversed-phase HPLC and the detectability of atomic detectors by on-line vesicular hydride generation is described. In particular, the possible separation mechanisms responsible for micellar and vesicular mobile phases in reversed-phase chromatographies are analysed and compared. The possible effect of modification of stationary phases by monomers of the surfactants should also be taken into account. The application of such on-line couplings to develop new hybrid approaches to tackle modern problems of trace element speciation for As, Hg, Se, and Cd completes this revision of the present interface between analytical atomic spectroscopy and surfactant-based organised assemblies.     

Electrocatalytic reactions in organized assemblies: Part III. Reduction of allyl halides by bipyridyl derivatives of cobalt in anionic and cationic micelles

Reduction of allyl halides to 1,5-hexadiene at glassy carbon electrodes was catalyzed by tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) cobalt(II) and tris(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)cobalt(II) in aqueous solutions of 0.1 M SDS or 0.1 M CTAB. An organocobalt(I) intermediate was observed by its separate voltammetric reduction peak in each system studied. This intermediate undergoes an internal redox reaction to form 1,5-hexadiene and Co(II). Small micellar enhancements of reaction rates found for tris(2,2'-bipyridyl) cobalt(II) in 0.1 M CTAB can be attributed to reactant compartmentalization in the micelles. Observed chemical rates followed the order CTAB > SDS = acetonitrile. For tris(4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bi-pyridyl) Co(II) in CTAB, catalysis was limited by adsorption of the Co(I) form at the electrode. Preliminary work with bis(2,2'-bipyridyl)-(4,4'-dihexadecyl-2,2'-bipyridyl)cobalt(II) showed that its catalytic utility in 0.1 M SDS was equivalent to that of the most efficient system studied, i.e. tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)Co(II) in 0.1 M CTAB.     

Bundle-like assemblies of cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and anionic dyes

Molecularly flat and extremely long bundle-like assemblies were prepared from cadmium hydroxide nanostrands and polysulfonated dyes. The dye molecules were regularly aligned along with the nanostrands, as confirmed by electron microscopies and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Strong electrostatic interaction between the two components was useful to control the fibrous morphologies and optical properties of these organic/inorganic nanocomposites.     

Cryo-TEM of soft molecular assemblies

Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) is a powerful method for uncovering the structure of soft nanostructured materials. The method is based on ultra-fast cooling and conversion of a liquid sample to a vitrified (glassy) specimen that can be examined in the TEM. Direct-imaging cryo-TEM discloses both the global supramolecular structure and local aggregate-specific details, at the hydrated state, and at a nanometer resolution. This placed the method as a central characterization tool in colloid, material, bio- and nano-related technologies in academia and industry. The advancement of cryo-TEM to new fields of research has been motivated also by significant improvements in instrumentation and software. In this review, we summarize the primary principles of cryo-TEM and highlight the recent contribution of this method to understanding soft-matter self-assembly. Detailed example address the origin of the viscosity peak in micellar solutions, and the nature of exotic assemblies as branched micelles, and micellar discs and ribbons. We further emphasize the strategic application of direct-imaging cryo-TEM to study fundamental biological processes and structure-function relations using the example of membrane-remodeling proteins involved in fission and fusion.