Photoschaltbare Wasserstoffbrücken-Verknüpfung in selbstorganisierten zylindrischen Peptidanordnungen

Hydrazone Photoswitches for Structural Modulation of Short Peptides

Molecules that undergo light-driven structural transformations constitute the core components in photoswitchable molecular systems and materials. Among various families of photoswitches, photochromic hydrazones have recently emerged as a novel class of photoswitches with superb properties, such as high photochemical conversion, spectral tunability, thermal stability, and fatigue resistance. Hydrazone photoswitches have been adopted in various adaptive materials at different length scales, however, their utilization for modulating biomolecules still has not been explored. Herein we present new hydrazone switches that can photomodulate the structures of short peptides. Systematic investigation on a set of hydrazone derivatives revealed that installation of the amide group does not significantly alter the photoswitching behaviors. Importantly, a hydrazone switch comprising an upper phenyl ring and a lower quinolinyl ring was effective for structural control of peptides. We anticipate that this work, as a new milestone in the research of hydrazone switches, will open a new avenue for structural and functional control of biomolecules.

Controlled Construction of Cyclic d / l Peptide Nanorods

Cyclic d / l peptides (CPs) assemble spontaneously via backbone H-bonding to form extended nanostructures. These modular materials have great potential as versatile bionanomaterials. However, the useful development of CP nanomaterials requires practical methods to direct and control their assembly. In this work, we present novel, heterogeneous, covalently linked CP tetramers that achieve local control over the CP subunit order and composition through coupling of amino acid side-chains using copper-activated azide-alkyne cycloaddition and disulfide bond formation. Cryo-transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of highly ordered, fibrous nanostructures, while NMR studies showed that these systems have strong intramolecular H-bonding in solution. The introduction of inter-CP tethers is expected to enable the development of complex nanomaterials with controllable chemical properties, facilitating the development of precisely functionalized or "decorated" peptide nanostructures.

Regioisomeric control induced by DABCO coordination to rotatable self-assembled bis- and tetraporphyrin α,γ-cyclic octapeptide dimers

The design and synthesis of two α,γ-cyclic octapeptides decorated with one and two Zn-porphyrin units in their periphery is described. In nonpolar organic solvents the α,γ-cyclic octapeptides quantitatively self-assemble into Zn-bis- or -tetraporphyrin architectures that could act as molecular tweezers. The self-assembly process, however, is not regioselective and affords a mixture of different regioisomers that are involved in chemical exchange processes. The regioisomers with the Zn-porphyrin units positioned in register with respect to each other are proposed to be the less abundant species in the solution mixture. It has been demonstrated that the coordination of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) to the supramolecular bis- or tetraporphyrin tweezers is an effective way to achieve regioisomeric control of the self-assembled mixture of dimers. Thus, DABCO functions as an external molecular trigger and, when used under strict stoichiometric control with respect to the Zn-porphyrin units, provokes the exclusive formation of self-assembled dimers with a cofacial arrangement of Zn-porphyrin units through the formation of sandwich-type complexes. The use of excess DABCO fragments the sandwich complexes and affords open dimers of high stoichiometry with DABCO molecules axially monocoordinated to the Zn-porphyrin units, probably as a regioisomeric mixture. In the case of Zn-tetraporphyrin tweezers, the ditopic coordination of DABCO at the two binding sites shows a moderate positive cooperativity factor, αP=5. These assemblies have potential applications as light-induced energy and electron-transfer switches regulated by DABCO coordination; such applications would require the introduction of additional chromophores in the cyclic peptide scaffold.

Electronic Structures and Conductivity in Peptide Nanotubes

Self-assembling cyclic D,L-peptide nanotubes are electronically insulating and possess wide band gaps (E(g) > 4 eV). Our ab initio electronic structure calculations indicate that the presence of aromatic rings in the side chain of peptide nanotubes significantly reduces the band gap. We investigate the conductivity of the modified peptide nanotubes through calculations of the electron tunneling probability. The electron tunneling probability through a molecule depends on the length of the molecule, L, as e-beta(E)L, where the tunneling beta(E)-factor is strongly energy-dependent. We have calculated beta(E) in three types of peptide nanotubes that have different sequences of amino acid residue, (L-Gln, D-Ala)(4), (L-Gln, D-Leu)(4) and (L-Gln, D-Phe)(4), using the complex band structure approach. We find large beta values near midgap, making these peptide nanotubes a poor tunneling conductor.

Photoresponsive Self-Assembly and Self-Organization of Hydrogen-Bonded Supramolecular Tapes

Self-assembling building blocks that are readily functionalizable and capable of achieving programmed hierarchical organization have enabled us to create various functional nanomaterials. We have previously demonstrated that N,N'-disubstituted 4,6-diaminopyrimidin-2(1 H)-one (DAP), a guanine-cytosine hybridized molecule, is a versatile building block for the creation of tapelike supramolecular polymer species in solution. In the current study, DAP was functionalized with azobenzene side chains. 1H NMR, UV/Vis, and dynamic light scattering studies confirmed the presence of nanometer-scale tapelike supramolecular polymers in alkane solvents at micromolar regimes. At higher concentrations (millimolar regimes), the supramolecular polymers hierarchically organized into lamellar superstructures to form organogels, as shown by X-ray diffraction and polarized optical microscopy. Remarkably, the azobenzene side chains are photoisomerizable even in the supramolecular polymers, owing to their loosely packed state supported by the rigid hydrogen-bonded scaffold, enabling us to establish photocontrollable supramolecular polymerization and higher order organization of the tapelike supramolecular polymers into lamellar superstructures.

Photocontrollable Self-Assembly

The incorporation of photoswitching molecules into molecular building blocks creates the possibility of photoresponsive self-assemblies in which the self-assembled architecture or self-assembling process can be controlled by external light stimulus. Among the photoswitching molecules, azobenzene has been used most widely by virtue of the large photoinduced changes in its molecular geometry and physical properties. This article reviews how azobenzene can be effectively used to construct the self-assemblies in which supramolecular structure and formation/dissociation can be altered by light.

Modulating charge transfer through cyclic D,L-alpha-peptide self-assembly

We describe a concise, solid support-based synthetic method for the preparation of cyclic d,l-alpha-peptides bearing 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic acid diimide (NDI) side chains. Studies of the structural and photoluminescence properties of these molecules in solution show that the hydrogen bond-directed self-assembly of the cyclic d,l-alpha-peptide backbone promotes intermolecular NDI excimer formation. The efficiency of NDI charge transfer in the resulting supramolecular assemblies is shown to depend on the length of the linker between the NDI and the peptide backbone, the distal NDI substituent, and the number of NDIs incorporated in a given structure. The design rationale and synthetic strategies described here should provide a basic blueprint for a series of self-assembling cyclic d,l-alpha-peptide nanotubes with interesting optical and electronic properties.

CO2 in Supramolecular Chemistry: Preparation of Switchable Supramolecular Polymers

CO2 gas was used to construct novel types of supramolecular polymers. Self-assembling nanostructures 11 and 13 were prepared, which employ both hydrogen bonding and dynamic, thermally reversible carbamate bonds. As precursors, calixarene ureas 1 and 2 were synthesized, which strongly aggregate/dimerize (K(D)>/=10(6) M(-1) per capsule) in apolar solution with the formation of self-assembling capsules 7 and linear polymeric chains 8, respectively, and also possess "CO2-philic" primary amino groups on the periphery. CO2 effectively reacts with molecules 7 and 8 in apolar solvents and cross-links them with the formation of multiple carbamate salt bridges. Oligomeric aggregate 11 and three-dimensional polymeric network 13 were prepared and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The morphology of supramolecular gel 13 was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Addition of a competitive solvent destroyed the hydrogen bonding in assembling structures 11 and 13, but did not influence the carbamate linkers; carbamate salts 12 and 14, respectively, were obtained. On the other hand, thermal release of CO2 from 11 and 13 was easily accomplished (1 h, 100 degrees C) while retaining the hydrogen-bonding capsules. Thus, three-dimensional polymeric network 13 was transformed back to linear polymeric chain 8 without breaking up. Encapsulation and storage of solvent molecules by 11 and 13 was demonstrated. This opens the way for switchable materials, which reversibly trap, store, and then release guest molecules. A two-parameter switch and control over hydrogen bonding and CO2-amine adducts was established.

Photoresponsive Supramolecular Systems: Self-Assembly of Azodibenzoic Acid Linear Tapes and Cyclic Tetramers

A new strategy to effect photoinduced control over molecular self-assembly is reported. This strategy uses the reversible trans-cis photoisomerization of a novel azobenzene system, where the trans- and cis-forms self-assemble into dramatically different higher-order structures. The trans-azobenzene form of this molecule associates into infinite hydrogen-bonded linear tapes, while the cis-azobenzene form undergoes hydrogen-bonded self-assembly into cyclic tetramers. This results in a second level of association, where the cis-hydrogen-bonded supramolecular cycles ultimately form long, rod-like aggregates through stacking interactions.

Artificial Molecular Machines

The miniaturization of components used in the construction of working devices is being pursued currently by the large-downward (top-down) fabrication. This approach, however, which obliges solid-state physicists and electronic engineers to manipulate progressively smaller and smaller pieces of matter, has its intrinsic limitations. An alternative approach is a small-upward (bottom-up) one, starting from the smallest compositions of matter that have distinct shapes and unique properties-namely molecules. In the context of this particular challenge, chemists have been extending the concept of a macroscopic machine to the molecular level. A molecular-level machine can be defined as an assembly of a distinct number of molecular components that are designed to perform machinelike movements (output) as a result of an appropriate external stimulation (input). In common with their macroscopic counterparts, a molecular machine is characterized by 1) the kind of energy input supplied to make it work, 2) the nature of the movements of its component parts, 3) the way in which its operation can be monitored and controlled, 4) the ability to make it repeat its operation in a cyclic fashion, 5) the timescale needed to complete a full cycle of movements, and 6) the purpose of its operation. Undoubtedly, the best energy inputs to make molecular machines work are photons or electrons. Indeed, with appropriately chosen photochemically and electrochemically driven reactions, it is possible to design and synthesize molecular machines that do work. Moreover, the dramatic increase in our fundamental understanding of self-assembly and self-organizational processes in chemical synthesis has aided and abetted the construction of artificial molecular machines through the development of new methods of noncovalent synthesis and the emergence of supramolecular assistance to covalent synthesis as a uniquely powerful synthetic tool. The aim of this review is to present a unified view of the field of molecular machines by focusing on past achievements, present limitations, and future perspectives. After analyzing a few important examples of natural molecular machines, the most significant developments in the field of artificial molecular machines are highlighted. The systems reviewed include 1) chemical rotors, 2) photochemically and electrochemically induced molecular (conformational) rearrangements, and 3) chemically, photochemically, and electrochemically controllable (co-conformational) motions in interlocked molecules (catenanes and rotaxanes), as well as in coordination and supramolecular complexes, including pseudorotaxanes. Artificial molecular machines based on biomolecules and interfacing artificial molecular machines with surfaces and solid supports are amongst some of the cutting-edge topics featured in this review. The extension of the concept of a machine to the molecular level is of interest not only for the sake of basic research, but also for the growth of nanoscience and the subsequent development of nanotechnology.