Aufbau eines flüssigkristallinen Polymernetzwerks durch Selbstorganisation über intermolekulare Wasserstoffbrückenbindungen

Reentrant 2D Nanostructured Liquid Crystals by Competition between Molecular Packing and Conformation: Potential Design for Multistep Switching of Ionic Conductivity

Reentrant phenomena in soft matter and biosystems have attracted considerable attention because their properties are closely related to high functionality. Here, we report a combined experimental and computational study on the self-assembly and reentrant behavior of a single-component thermotropic smectic liquid crystal toward the realization of dynamically functional materials. We have designed and synthesized a mesogenic molecule consisting of an alicyclic trans,trans-bicyclohexyl mesogen and a polar cyclic carbonate group connected by a flexible tetra(oxyethylene) spacer. The molecule exhibits an unprecedented sequence of layered smectic phases, in the order: smectic A-smectic B-reentrant smectic A. Electron density profiles and large-scale molecular dynamics simulations indicate that competition between the stacking of bicyclohexyl mesogens and the conformational flexibility of tetra(oxyethylene) chains induces this unusual reentrant behavior. Ion-conductive reentrant liquid-crystalline materials have been developed, which undergo the multistep conductivity changes in response to temperature. The reentrant liquid crystals have potential as new mesogenic materials exhibiting switching functions.

Smart Supramolecular Self-Assembled Nanosystem: Stimulus-Responsive Hydrogen-Bonded Liquid Crystals

In a liquid crystal (LC) state, specific orientations and alignments of LC molecules produce outstanding anisotropy in structure and properties, followed by diverse optoelectronic functions. Besides organic LC molecules, other nonclassical components, including inorganic nanomaterials, are capable of self-assembling into oriented supramolecular LC mesophases by non-covalent interactions. Particularly, huge differences in size, shape, structure and properties within these components gives LC supramolecules higher anisotropy and feasibility. Therefore, hydrogen bonds have been viewed as the best and the most common option for supramolecular LCs, owing to their high selectivity and directionality. In this review, we summarize the newest advances in self-assembled structure, stimulus-responsive capability and application of supramolecular hydrogen-bonded LC nanosystems, to provide novel and immense potential for advancing LC technology.

Alkyl-Alkyl Interactions in the Periphery of Supramolecular Entities: From the Evaluation of Weak Forces to Applications

Supramolecular chemistry is based on weak intermolecular forces which nevertheless are of importance for chemical processes. In this report the relevance of alkyl-alkyl interactions in supramolecular assemblies is discussed. We show how hierarchically formed helicates can be used to evaluate weak interactions of alkyl groups based on solvent-supported London dispersion. In addition, the role of nano-segregation of alkyl groups in the periphery of supramolecular assemblies is described, as well as how this can be used to improve the properties of liquid-crystalline materials by controlling the alkyl-chain-mediated aggregation process.

Nucleopeptide Assemblies Selectively Sequester ATP in Cancer Cells to Increase the Efficacy of Doxorubicin

Herein, we report that assemblies of nucleopeptides selectively sequester ATP in complex conditions (for example, serum and cytosol). We developed assemblies of nucleopeptides that selectively sequester ATP over ADP. Counteracting enzymes interconvert ATP and ADP to modulate the nanostructures formed by the nucleopeptides and the nucleotides. The nucleopeptides, sequestering ATP effectively in cells, slow down efflux pumps in multidrug-resistant cancer cells, thus boosting the efficacy of doxorubicin, an anticancer drug. Investigation of 11 nucleopeptides (including d- and l-enantiomers) yields five more nucleopeptides that differentiate ATP and ADP through either precipitation or gelation. As the first example of assemblies of nucleopeptides that interact with ATP and disrupt intracellular ATP dynamics, this work illustrates the use of supramolecular assemblies to interact with small and essential biological molecules for controlling cell behavior.

Supramolecular Graft Copolymerization of a Polyester by Guest-Selective Encapsulation of a Self-Assembled Capsule

Repeating guest units of polyesters poly-(R)-2 were selectively encapsulated by capsule 1(BF₄ )₄ to produce supramolecular graft polymers. The encapsulation of the guest units was confirmed by ¹ H NMR spectroscopy. The graft polymer structures were confirmed by the increase in the hydrodynamic radii and the solution viscosities of the polyesters upon complexation of the capsule. After the capsule was formed, atomic force microscopy showed extension of the polyester chains. The introduction of the graft chains onto poly-(R)-2 resulted in the main chain of the polymer having an M-helical morphology. The complexation of copolymers poly-[(R)-2-co-(S)-2] by the capsule gave rise to the unique chiral amplification known as the majority-rules effect.

Mixing biomimetic heterodimers of nucleopeptides to generate biocompatible and biostable supramolecular hydrogels

As a new class of biomaterials, most supramolecular hydrogels formed by small peptides require the attachment of long alkyl chains, multiple aromatic groups, or strong electrostatic interactions. Based on the fact that the most abundant protein assemblies in nature are dimeric, we select short peptide sequences from the interface of a heterodimer of proteins with known crystal structure to conjugate with nucleobases to form nucleopeptides. Being driven mainly by hydrogen bonds, the nucleopeptides self-assemble to form nanofibers, which results in supramolecular hydrogels upon simple mixing of two distinct nucleopeptides in water. Moreover, besides being biocompatible to mammalian cells, the heterodimer of the nucleopeptides exhibit excellent proteolytic resistance against proteinase K. This work illustrates a new and rational approach to create soft biomaterials by a supramolecular hydrogelation triggered by mixing heterodimeric nucleopeptides.

Functional organic materials based on polymerized liquid-crystal monomers: supramolecular hydrogen-bonded systems

Functional organic materials are of great interest for a variety of applications. To obtain precise functional properties, well-defined hierarchically ordered supramolecular materials are crucial. The self-assembly of liquid crystals has proven to be an extremely useful tool in the development of well-defined nanostructured materials. We have chosen the illustrative example of photopolymerizable hydrogen-bonding mesogens to show that a wide variety of functional materials can be made from a relatively simple set of building blocks. Upon mixing these compounds with other reactive mesogens, nematic, chiral nematic, and smectic or columnar liquid-crystalline phases can be formed that can be applied as actuators, sensors and responsive reflectors, and nanoporous membranes, respectively.

Induced smectic phases in phase diagrams of binary nematic liquid crystal mixtures

To elucidate induced smectic A and smectic B phases in binary nematic liquid crystal mixtures, a generalized thermodynamic model has been developed in the framework of a combined Flory-Huggins free energy for isotropic mixing, Maier-Saupe free energy for orientational ordering, McMillan free energy for smectic ordering, Chandrasekhar-Clark free energy for hexagonal ordering, and phase field free energy for crystal solidification. Although nematic constituents have no smectic phase, the complexation between these constituent liquid crystal molecules in their mixture resulted in a more stable ordered phase such as smectic A or B phases. Various phase transitions of crystal-smectic, smectic-nematic, and nematic-isotropic phases have been determined by minimizing the above combined free energies with respect to each order parameter of these mesophases. By changing the strengths of anisotropic interaction and hexagonal interaction parameters, the present model captures the induced smectic A or smectic B phases of the binary nematic mixtures. Of particular importance is the fact that the calculated phase diagrams show remarkable agreement with the experimental phase diagrams of binary nematic liquid crystal mixtures involving induced smectic A or induced smectic B phase.

Thermotropic Liquid Crystals Based on Extended 2,5-Disubstituted-1,3,4-Oxadiazoles: Structure–Property Relationships, Variable-Temperature Powder X-ray Diffraction, and Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Studies

A class of extended 2,5-disubstituted-1,3,4-oxadiazoles R1-C6H4-{OC2N2}-C6H4-R2 (R1 = R2 = C10H21O 1 a, p-C10H21O-C6H4-C[triple bond]C 3 a, p-CH3O-C6H4-C[triple bond]C 3 b; R1 = C10H21O, R2 = CH3O 1 b, (CH3)2N 1 c; F 1 d; R1 = C10H21O-C6H4-C[triple bond]C, R2 = C10H21O 2 a, CH3O 2 b, (CH3)2N 2 c, F 2 d) were prepared, and their liquid-crystalline properties were examined. In CH2Cl2 solution, these compounds displayed a room-temperature emission with lambda(max) at 340-471 nm and quantum yields of 0.73-0.97. Compounds 1 d, 2 a-2 d, and 3 a exhibited various thermotropic mesophases (monotropic, enantiotropic nematic/smectic), which were examined by polarized-light optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Structure determination by a direct-space approach using simulated annealing or parallel tempering of the powder X-ray diffraction data revealed distinctive crystal-packing arrangements for mesogenic molecules 2 b and 3 a, leading to different nematic mesophase behavior, with 2 b being monotropic and 3 a enantiotropic in the narrow temperature range of 200-210 degrees C. The structural transitions associated with these crystalline solids and their mesophases were studied by variable-temperature X-ray diffractometry. Nondestructive phase transitions (crystal-to-crystal, crystal-to-mesophase, mesophase-to-liquid) were observed in the diffractograms of 1 b, 1 d, 2 b, 2 d, and 3 a measured at 25-200 degrees C. Powder X-ray diffraction and small-angle X-ray scattering data revealed that the structure of the annealed solid residue 2 b reverted to its original crystal/molecular packing when the isotropic liquid was cooled to room temperature. Structure-property relationships within these mesomorphic solids are discussed in the context of their molecular structures and intermolecular interactions.

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.

Functional Liquid-Crystalline Assemblies: Self-Organized Soft Materials

In the 21st century, soft materials will become more important as functional materials because of their dynamic nature. Although soft materials are not as highly durable as hard materials, such as metals, ceramics, and engineering plastics, they can respond well to stimuli and the environment. The introduction of order into soft materials induces new dynamic functions. Liquid crystals are ordered soft materials consisting of self-organized molecules and can potentially be used as new functional materials for electron, ion, or molecular transporting, sensory, catalytic, optical, and bio-active materials. For this functionalization, unconventional materials design is required. Herein, we describe new approaches to the functionalization of liquid crystals and show how the design of liquid crystals formed by supramolecular assembly and nano-segregation leads to the formation of a variety of new self-organized functional materials.

Self-Assembly of Folic Acid Derivatives: Induction of Supramolecular Chirality by Hierarchical Chiral Structures

Hierarchical chiral structures made up of dendritic oligo(L- or D-glutamic acid) moieties of folic acid derivatives induce supramolecular chirality in the self-assembled columnar structures of the folic acids. These folic acids self-assemble through the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the pterin rings to form disklike tetramers. In the neat states, the stacked tetramers form thermotropic hexagonal columnar phases over wide temperature ranges, including room temperature. Addition of alkali metal salts induces chirality in the columnar phases. In dilute solution states in a relatively polar solvent (chloroform), the folic acid derivatives form non-chiral, self-assembled structures. In the presence of sodium triflate, the folic acid forms chiral columnar assemblies through the oligo(L-glutamic acid) moiety, similar to those formed in the liquid-crystalline (LC) states. The enantiomer of the folic acid induces columnar assemblies with reversed helicity. In the case of the diastereomer, no induced helicity is observed. Application of an apolar solvent (dodecane) drives the folic acid derivatives to form chiral assemblies in the absence of ions. In this case, lipophilic interactions promote nanophase segregation, which enhances the formation of chiral columns. Interestingly, the chiral supramolecular structure of the diastereomer induces the most intense circular dichroism. In both cases, the molecular chirality in the oligo(glutamate) moieties yields supramolecular chirality of the folic acids that self-assemble through cooperative molecular interactions.