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Knight B, Mondal R, Han N, Pietra NF, Hall BA, Edgar KJ, Vaissier Welborn V, Madsen LA, De Yoreo JJ, Dove PM. Kinetics of Calcite Nucleation onto Sulfated Chitosan Derivatives and Implications for Water-Polysaccharide Interactions during Crystallization of Sparingly Soluble Salts. CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN 2024; 24:6338-6353. [PMID: 39131446 PMCID: PMC11311137 DOI: 10.1021/acs.cgd.4c00602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
Anionic macromolecules are found at sites of CaCO3 biomineralization in diverse organisms, but their roles in crystallization are not well-understood. We prepared a series of sulfated chitosan derivatives with varied positions and degrees of sulfation, DS(SO3 -), and measured calcite nucleation rate onto these materials. Fitting the classical nucleation theory model to the kinetic data reveals the interfacial free energy of the calcite-polysaccharide-solution system, γnet, is lowest for nonsulfated controls and increases with DS(SO3 -). The kinetic prefactor also increases with DS(SO3 -). Simulations of Ca2+-H2O-chitosan systems show greater water structuring around sulfate groups compared to uncharged substituents, independent of sulfate location. Ca2+-SO3 - interactions are solvent-separated by distances that are inversely correlated with DS(SO3 -) of the polysaccharide. The simulations also predict SO3 - and NH3 + groups affect the solvation waters and HCO3 - ions associated with Ca2+. Integrating the experimental and computational evidence suggests sulfate groups influence nucleation by increasing the difficulty of displacing near-surface water, thereby increasing γnet. By correlating γnet and net charge per monosaccharide for diverse polysaccharides, we suggest the solvent-separated interactions of functional groups with Ca2+ influence thermodynamic and kinetic components to crystallization by similar solvent-dominated processes. The findings reiterate the importance of establishing water structure and properties at macromolecule-solution interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenna
M. Knight
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Department
of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Ronnie Mondal
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Nizhou Han
- Department
of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Nicholas F. Pietra
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Brady A. Hall
- GlycoMIP, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Kevin J. Edgar
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Department
of Sustainable Biomaterials, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Valerie Vaissier Welborn
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - Louis A. Madsen
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
| | - James J. De Yoreo
- Physical
Sciences Division, Physical and Computational Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, University
of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Patricia M. Dove
- Department
of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Department
of Geosciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Macromolecules
Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia
Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, United States
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Tanaka T. Recent Advances in Polymers Bearing Activated Esters for the Synthesis of Glycopolymers by Postpolymerization Modification. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:1100. [PMID: 38675019 PMCID: PMC11053895 DOI: 10.3390/polym16081100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycopolymers are functional polymers with saccharide moieties on their side chains and are attractive candidates for biomaterials. Postpolymerization modification can be employed for the synthesis of glycopolymers. Activated esters are useful in various fields, including polymer chemistry and biochemistry, because of their high reactivity and ease of reaction. In particular, the formation of amide bonds caused by the reaction of activated esters with amino groups is of high synthetic chemical value owing to its high selectivity. It has been employed in the synthesis of various functional polymers, including glycopolymers. This paper reviews the recent advances in polymers bearing activated esters for the synthesis of glycopolymers by postpolymerization modification. The development of polymers bearing hydrophobic and hydrophilic activated esters is described. Although water-soluble activated esters are generally unstable and hydrolyzed in water, novel polymer backbones bearing water-soluble activated esters are stable and useful for postpolymerization modification for synthesizing glycopolymers in water. Dual postpolymerization modification can be employed to modify polymer side chains using two different molecules. Thiolactone and glycine propargyl esters on the polymer backbone are described as activated esters for dual postpolymerization modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomonari Tanaka
- Department of Biobased Materials Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kyoto Institute of Technology, Matsugasaki, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8585, Japan
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Dykeman-Bermingham PA, Bogen MP, Chittari SS, Grizzard SF, Knight AS. Tailoring Hierarchical Structure and Rare Earth Affinity of Compositionally Identical Polymers via Sequence Control. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:8607-8617. [PMID: 38470430 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Macromolecule sequence, structure, and function are inherently intertwined. While well-established relationships exist in proteins, they are more challenging to define for synthetic polymer nanoparticles due to their molecular weight, sequence, and conformational dispersities. To explore the impact of sequence on nanoparticle structure, we synthesized a set of 16 compositionally identical, sequence-controlled polymers with distinct monomer patterning of dimethyl acrylamide and a bioinspired, structure-driving di(phenylalanine) acrylamide (FF). Sequence control was achieved through multiblock polymerizations, yielding unique ensembles of polymer sequences which were simulated by kinetic Monte Carlo simulations. Systematic analysis of the global (tertiary- and quaternary-like) structure in this amphiphilic copolymer series revealed the effect of multiple sequence descriptors: the number of domains, the hydropathy of terminal domains, and the patchiness (density) of FF within a domain, each of which impacted both chain collapse and the distribution of single- and multichain assemblies. Furthermore, both the conformational freedom of chain segments and local-scale, β-sheet-like interactions were sensitive to the patchiness of FF. To connect sequence, structure, and target function, we evaluated an additional series of nine sequence-controlled copolymers as sequestrants for rare earth elements (REEs) by incorporating a functional acrylic acid monomer into select polymer scaffolds. We identified key sequence variables that influence the binding affinity, capacity, and selectivity of the polymers for REEs. Collectively, these results highlight the potential of and boundaries of sequence control via multiblock polymerizations to drive primary sequence ensembles hierarchical structures, and ultimately the functionality of compositionally identical polymeric materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter A Dykeman-Bermingham
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Matthew P Bogen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Supraja S Chittari
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Savannah F Grizzard
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Abigail S Knight
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Gitter SR, Li R, Boydston AJ. Access to Functionalized Materials by Metal-Free Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization of Active Esters and Divergent Postpolymerization Modification. ACS Macro Lett 2024:144-150. [PMID: 38226917 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Metal-free ring-opening metathesis polymerization (MF-ROMP) is an emerging polymerization strategy that provides access to ROMP materials by using organic initiators and photoredox catalysts. Unlike metal-mediated ROMP, MF-ROMP is not highly tolerant toward functionalized monomers. Herein, we report that pentafluorophenyl esters are polymerizable under MF-ROMP conditions to produce homopolymers, statistical copolymers, and block copolymers. Amine coupling agents were then used to install a range of functional groups via acyl substitution including alkynes, amino acid derivatives, fluorophores, and redox active moieties. Overall, these findings provide a framework to prepare functionalized ROMP polymers without the risk of metal contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean R Gitter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Ruojia Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Andrew J Boydston
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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Day EC, Chittari SS, Bogen MP, Knight AS. Navigating the Expansive Landscapes of Soft Materials: A User Guide for High-Throughput Workflows. ACS POLYMERS AU 2023; 3:406-427. [PMID: 38107416 PMCID: PMC10722570 DOI: 10.1021/acspolymersau.3c00025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Synthetic polymers are highly customizable with tailored structures and functionality, yet this versatility generates challenges in the design of advanced materials due to the size and complexity of the design space. Thus, exploration and optimization of polymer properties using combinatorial libraries has become increasingly common, which requires careful selection of synthetic strategies, characterization techniques, and rapid processing workflows to obtain fundamental principles from these large data sets. Herein, we provide guidelines for strategic design of macromolecule libraries and workflows to efficiently navigate these high-dimensional design spaces. We describe synthetic methods for multiple library sizes and structures as well as characterization methods to rapidly generate data sets, including tools that can be adapted from biological workflows. We further highlight relevant insights from statistics and machine learning to aid in data featurization, representation, and analysis. This Perspective acts as a "user guide" for researchers interested in leveraging high-throughput screening toward the design of multifunctional polymers and predictive modeling of structure-property relationships in soft materials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matthew P. Bogen
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Abigail S. Knight
- Department of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Vaissier Welborn V, Archer WR, Schulz MD. Characterizing Ion-Polymer Interactions in Aqueous Environment with Electric Fields. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 63:2030-2036. [PMID: 36533730 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Polymers make the basis of highly tunable materials that could be designed and optimized for metal recovery from aqueous environments. While experimental studies show that this approach has potential, it suffers from a limited knowledge of the detailed molecular interaction between polymers and target metal ions. Here, we propose to calculate intrinsic electric fields from polarizable force field molecular dynamics simulations to characterize the driving force behind Eu3+ motion in the presence of poly(ethylenimine methylenephosphonate), a specifically designed metal chelating polymer. Focusing on the metal chelation initiation step (i.e., before binding), we can rationalize the role of each molecule on ion dynamics by projecting these electric fields along the direction of ion motion. We find that the polymer functional groups act indirectly, and the polymer-metal ion interaction is actually mediated by water. This result is consistent with the experimental observation that metal sequestration by these polymers is entropically driven. This study suggests that electric field calculations can help the design of metal chelating polymers, for example, by seeking to optimize polymer-solvent interactions rather than polymer-ion interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Vaissier Welborn
- Department of Chemistry, Macromolecules Innovation Institute (MII), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24060, United States
| | - William R. Archer
- Department of Chemistry, Macromolecules Innovation Institute (MII), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24060, United States
| | - Michael D. Schulz
- Department of Chemistry, Macromolecules Innovation Institute (MII), Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia24060, United States
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