Supramolecular Architectures from Bent-Core Dendritic Molecules

Microfluidics for the rapid and controlled preparation of organic nanotubes of bent-core based dendrimers

Recently, bent-core molecules have emerged as excellent building blocks for the obtaining of nanostructures in solvents. Herein, we report the use of a coaxial microfluidic system as a promising tool to control the self-assembly of non-conventional bent-core amphiphiles. Moreover, a TEM study to comprehend the hierarchical self-assembly process in solution was carried out. The proposed tool provides both a cost-effective platform to save hard-to-synthesise reagents and a rapid method to screen a plethora of different parameters, i.e., THF/water ratio, residence time, concentration of the amphiphile, temperature and pH. The experiments allowed to test for the first time the suitability of microfluidics for the self-assembly of bent-core molecules, as well as the study of a range of conditions to control the assembly of different nanostructures in a rapid and controlled manner. Additionally, organic nanostructures were combined with gold nanoparticles to prepare nanocomposites with enhanced properties. Both organic and hybrid nanostructures were also obtained in the solid state. These results may inspire scientists working on supramolecular chemistry and bent-core molecules expanding the scope of microfluidic systems for the self-assembly of other low-molecular-weight compounds.

Linear symmetric liquid crystal trimers exhibiting supramolecular chiral architectures

We prepared a homologous series of achiral liquid crystal trimers (I-n) in which two phenylpyrimidine units and one biphenyl unit were connected via flexible spacers, and investigated the physical properties. All the trimers possessing odd-numbered methylene spacers exhibited soft crystalline chiral conglomerate phases. X-ray diffraction measurements reveal that they have an intercalated layer structure. On the other hand, the trimers possessing even-numbered spacers showed nematic and smectic C phases. We investigated the surface structures of odd-membered trimers in the soft crystalline phases using scanning electron microscopy. Trimers I-3 and I-5 were found to form cylindrical tubes, whereas trimers I-7, I-9 and I-11 toroidal pits. We discuss the formation of diverse supramolecular architectures in terms of the anisotropy of the chirality transfer.

Hydrogen bonding liquid crystalline benzoic acids with alkylthio groups: phase transition behavior and insights into the cybotactic nematic phase

A novel class of hydrogen bonding liquid crystalline benzoic acids with alkylthio groups was established and their phase transition behavior was investigated in detail.

Dendritic Polymers for Theranostics

Dendritic polymers are highly branched polymers with controllable structures, which possess a large population of terminal functional groups, low solution or melt viscosity, and good solubility. Their size, degree of branching and functionality can be adjusted and controlled through the synthetic procedures. These tunable structures correspond to application-related properties, such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, stimuli-responsiveness and self-assembly ability, which are the key points for theranostic applications, including chemotherapeutic theranostics, biotherapeutic theranostics, phototherapeutic theranostics, radiotherapeutic theranostics and combined therapeutic theranostics. Up to now, significant progress has been made for the dendritic polymers in solving some of the fundamental and technical questions toward their theranostic applications. In this review, we briefly summarize how to control the structures of dendritic polymers, the theranostics-related properties derived from their structures and their theranostics-related applications.

Synthesis and Liquid-Crystal Behavior of Bent Colloidal Silica Rods

The design and assembly of novel colloidal particles are of both academic and technological interest. We developed a wet-chemical route to synthesize monodisperse bent rigid silica rods by controlled perturbation of emulsion-templated growth. The bending angle of the rods can be tuned in a range of 0-50° by varying the strength of perturbation in the reaction temperature or pH in the course of rod growth. The length of each arm of the bent rods can be individually controlled by adjusting the reaction time. For the first time we demonstrated that the bent silica rods resemble banana-shaped liquid-crystal molecules and assemble into ordered structures with a typical smectic B2 phase. The bent silica rods could serve as a visualizable mesoscopic model for exploiting the phase behaviors of bent molecules which represent a typical class of liquid-crystal molecules.

Solvent effects on the properties of hyperbranched polythiophenes

QM/MM-MD simulations of dendrimers using explicit solvent molecules capture the conformational flexibility and microfluctuations induced by different types of solvents.

Dual-tuning multidimensional superstructures based on a T-shaped molecule: vesicle, helix, membrane and nanofiber-constructed gel

Dual-tuning self-assembly of Fmoc–Gly (a T-shape molecule) supramolecular self assembly was firstly reported here.

Light emission properties and self-assembly of a tolane-based luminogen

Fluorescent micro/nanostructures were formed by self-assembly of a tolane derivative with intramolecular charge transfer and aggregation-induced emission properties.