Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Supramolecular transport'

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering, 2001.
Includes bibliographical references.
(cont.) The vectorial energy transfer design of sensory films to harvest and direct energy to the surface detection layer toward ultimate signal amplification has been discussed. Third, the role of chemical structure of a sensory polymer in the selectivity of a conjugated polymer-based fluorescent sensor has been examined. In two different sensory systems for the detection of potassium ions and a nitroaromatic explosive TNT, respectively, key chemical design parameters governing their selectivity have been rationalized. Finally, the combination of the conclusions of this thesis provided an idealized structure of a fluorescent conjugated polymer-based sensory film with optimized sensitivity and selectivity.
A sensor is one of the many important applications of conjugated polymers. Poly(p-phenylene ethynylene)s (PPEs) have been studied for fluorescence-based sensor applications. The chemical structure and nano-structure of a polymer in the solid-state are two critical parameters that determine sensitivity and selectivity of a conjugated polymer-based sensor. In this thesis, both parameters have been systematically investigated. First, the Langmuir-Blodgett method was used to control the nano-structure of PPEs in the solid-state. Rational design of surfactant PPEs made it possible to control the conformation of a single polymer strand and interpolymer spatial arrangement at the air-water interface. In situ UV-Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy on the Langmuir film in controlled nano-structures revealed the effects of conformation and spatial arrangement of conjugated polymers on their intrinsic optical properties. Since the controlled structure of a monolayer at the air-water interface can be transferred to a solid substrate, structurally well-defined multilayer LB films of PPEs with confined optical properties were fabricated. This made it possible to study the role of interpolymer aggregation in the photophysical properties of conjugated polymer films. The results provided a general design principle to make a highly emissive conjugated polymer film. Second, an ideal thickness of a sensory film for optimizing sensitivity was determined by experimental and theoretical analysis of energy transport phenomena in multilayer PPE films.
y Jinsang Kim.
Ph.D.

L'électronique moléculaire est l'un des domaines les plus intrigants de la recherche moderne. Ce domaine pourrait produire un système de construction modulaire et évolutif pour des applications spintroniques à l'échelle nanométrique. Un exemple particulièrement prometteur est celui des aimants à une seule molécule, qui se sont déjà avérés être appropriés pour des la réalisation de spin valve et de qubit de spin. L'un des plus grands défis du domaine est l'intégration de ces objets de taille nanométrique dans des circuits complexes afin de permettre la détection et la manipulation d'états de spin moléculaires. Comme l'ont montré ces dernières années le groupe NanoSpin, les nanotubes de carbone (CNTs) peuvent servir de support pour les aimants à une seule molécule, en combinant les caractéristiques des deux constituants.Une pierre angulaire de ce projet de thèse a donc été le développement d'une technique de fabrication fiable pour des dispositifs de CNTs de haute qualité, contrôlables par de multiples électrodes de grille locales afin de permettre le contrôle local des systèmes hybrides moléculaires. Un procédé basé sur la fabrication conventionnelle à un substrat a été développé à partir de zéro, pour lequel l'optimisation de la conception des échantillons, les techniques de lithographie et de dépôt ainsi que les choix de matériaux ont dû être soigneusement incorporés afin de respecter les restrictions imposées par les conditions de croissance. Nous avons d'abord réussi à produire des échantillons CNT propres, permettant de mettre en évidence une configuration à double boite quantique, tout en ajustant des caractéristiques de type p à n. Les segments créés de cette manière peuvent être contrôlés de manière stable sur toute la longueur du dispositif et devraient donc constituer une base appropriée pour l'étude de la physique moléculaire.La matière topologique non triviale constitue une plate-forme séduisante pour étudier à la fois les principes fondamentaux et les applications possibles de la spintronique au calcul quantique. Les isolants cristallins topologiques, avec tellurure d'étain (SnTe) comme exemple principal, représentent un nouvel état au sein de ce zoo des matériaux topologiques 3D. Peu de temps après les premières réalisations expérimentales, des suggestions ont été faites sur la possibilité d’un type de supraconductivité non conventionnelle hébergé à l'interface entre la matière topologique et les supraconducteurs classiques. Les implications possibles de ces systèmes comprennent l'appariement de Cooper avec une quantité de mouvement finie dans la phase FFLO ou l’ordinateur quantique topologique, basé sur des excitations particulières, appelé quasi-particule Majorana.Ce projet de thèse visait à participer à l'enquête sur les signes de supraconductivité non conventionnelle dans SnTe. Les expériences de transport sur des couches pures dans les géométries de la barre de Hall et des dispositifs hybrides supraconducteurs, réalisés à la fois comme jonctions Josephson et SQUID, sont discutés. Un couplage étonnamment fort de SnTe au supraconducteur a été trouvé et dépendances de la supraconductivité sur les géométries des échantillons, la température et le champ magnétique ont été étudiées. La relation courant-phase a été analysée dans la limite d’effets cinétiques forts. Le couplage électrostatique et l'exposition à des micro-ondes ont été explorée, mais la physique prédominante dans de telles configurations s'est avéré être de type purement conventionnel, soulignant l’importance des améliorations sur le côté matériaux.Des mesures de champ magnétique dans le plan ont donné lieu à la signature d’un φ0-SQUID avec des transitions 0-π accordables, fournissant des preuves de possibles de transitions contrôlées de la supraconductivité triviale aux régimes de couplage non conventionnels dans SnTe
Molecular electronics is one of the most intriguing fields of modern research, which could bring forth a modular and scalable building system for nanoscale spintronics applications. A particularly promising example are single-molecule magnets, which have already successfully shown to be suitable for spin valve or spin qubit operations. One of the biggest challenges of the field is the integration of these nanometer-sized objects in complex circuits in order to allow for detection and manipulation of moleculear spin states. As shown in recent years by the NanoSpin group, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can serve as such type of carrier for the single-molecule magnets, combining features of both constituents.A corner stone of this thesis project was hence the development of a dependable fabrication technique for high-quality CNT devices, controllable by multiple local gate electrodes in order to enable local control of molecular hybrid systems. A process based on conventional one-chip fabrication was developed from scratch, for which optimization of sample design, lithography and deposition techniques as well as material choices had to be carefully incorporated, in order to accomodate the restrictions imposed by the CNT growth conditions on the prevention of leakage currents. We succeeded in producing clean CNT devices, which could support a double dot configuration, tunable from p- to n-type characteristics. The segments created in this way can be stabily controlled over the entire device length and should hence provide a suitable backbone to study molecular physics.Topological matter constitutes an enticing platform to investigate both fundamental principles as well as possible applications from spintronics to quantum computation. Topological crystalline insulators, with tin telluride ( SnTe ) as a prime example, represent a new state of matter within this zoo of 3D topological materials. Soon after first experimental realizations, suggestions were made about the possibility of an unconventional type of superconductivity hosted at the interface between topological matter and conventional superconductors. Possible implications of such systems include Cooper pairing with finite momentum, the FFLO phase, or topological quantum computing, based on peculiar excitations, called Majorana bound states.This thesis project aimed to participate in the investigation of signs of unconventional superconductivity in SnTe . Transport experiments on bare films in Hall bar geometries and superconducting hybrid devices, realized as both Josephson junctions and SQUIDs, are discussed. A surprisingly strong coupling of SnTe to Ta superconductor was found and dependencies of superconductivity on sample geometries, temperature and magnetic field were investigated. The current-phase relation was analyzed in the limit of strong kinetic effects. Electrostatic gating and rf exposure was explored, but predominant physics in such configurations turned out to be of purely conventional type, pointing out the importance of improvements on the material side.In-plane magnetic field measurements gave rise to the manifestation of ϕ0-SQUIDs with tunable 0−π-transitions, providing evidence for possible controlled transitions from trivial superconductivity to unconventional coupling regimes in SnTe

Le sujet principal de ces travaux de thèse concerne la synthèse et la caractérisation de nouveaux matériaux membranaires bioinspirés dont la fonction première est le transport dirigé d'espèces chimiques. La réalisation de ces systèmes est basée sur l'auto-assemblage de briques élémentaires (moléculaires, polymériques) dont les propriétés vont induire la création de chemins de transport directionnels au sein des nouveaux matériaux. Tout d'abord, la synthèse de nouveaux composés bola-amphiphiles a tout d'abord été présentés. Ces derniers ont ensuite été étudiées par spectroscopie de fluorescence et par diffusion dynamique de la lumière ont permis de mettre en évidence leur capacité à former des canaux ioniques, des canaux protoniques et des canaux d'eau au sein d'une bicouche lipidique. Une seconde étude a consisté en l'élaboration de nanomatériaux membranaires mésoporeux. Ces derniers ont été fonctionnalisés par des groupements hydrophobes afin de permettre le confinement de composés au sein des mésopores via des interactions de van der Waals. Enfin ,une dernière étude a porté sur la l'élaboration de matériaux membranaires à base d'Aquaporines artificielles dans le but d'obtenir un matériau permettant un transport dirigé d'eau au travers de la membrane
The main topic of this thesis concerns the synthesis and characterization of novel bioinspired membrane materials whose primary function is the transport of chemical species directed . The realization of these systems is based on the self-assembly of building blocks ( molecular , polymeric ) whose properties will induce directional transport in new materials.First, the synthesis of new bola - amphiphilic compounds was shown . They were then examined by fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering allowed to highlight their ability to form ion channels, proton channels and water channels in a lipid bilayer.A second study involved the development of mesoporous nanomaterials membrane. These have been functionalized with hydrophobic groups to allow the confinement of the compounds in the mesopores via van der Waals interactions.Finally, a recent study has focused on the development of materials membrane based on artificial Aquaporins in order to obtain a material to transport water directed through the membrane

This dissertation aims to investigate and correlate structure, dynamics and transport properties of several novel soft materials systems using multiple Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methodologies, including solid-state NMR (SSNMR), diffusometry, and imaging, and with the help of X-ray scattering. First, we report the investigation of structure and dynamics of three polymeric membranes: hydroxyalkyl-containing imidazolium homopolymers, poly(arylene ether sulfone) segmented copolymers, and disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers using a wide array of SSNMR techniques, including: 1) ¹³C cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CPMAS) with varying cross-polarization (CP) contact time, 2) ¹³C single-pulse magic angle spinning (MAS) with varying delay time, 3) ²³Na single-pulse MAS, 4) two dimensional phaseadjusted spinning sideband (2D PASS), 5) proton spin−lattice relaxation (T₁), 6) rotating frame spin−lattice relaxation (T₁ρ), and 7) center-band-only detection of exchange (CODEX). These various types of SSNMR spectroscopic methods provide a wealth of structural and dynamic information over a wide range of time scales from a few nanoseconds to seconds. We further present a picture of rich structural and transport behaviors in supramolecular assemblies formed by amphiphilic wedge molecules using a combination of ²³Na solid-state NMR, ¹H/²H PFG NMR diffusion, relaxation and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering. Our results show that the liquid crystalline domains in these materials undergo a transition from columnar to bicontinuous cubic phases with a simple increase in humidity, while the amorphous domain boundaries consist of individual wedge molecules with a significant fraction (~ 10%) of total wedge molecules. Multiple-component diffusion of both wedges and water further confirms the structural and dynamic heterogeneity, with the bicontinous cubic phase being able to facilitate much faster water and ion transport than the columnar phase. We then develop a quantitative approach to probe the migration of two novel “theranostic” polymeric agents (combining “therapeutic” and “diagnostic” functions) into bulk hydrogels using two distinct time-resolved magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that combines time-resolved MRI experiments to reliably quantify diffusivity of paramagnetic and superparamagnetic nanoparticles in bulk biological media. Our results agree closely with those obtained from fluorescence techniques, yet the capability of our approach allows the analysis of actual nanoparticles diffusion through biogels on mm to cm scales during a range of time periods. Finally, we employ a combination of NMR techniques to obtain a comprehensive understanding of ion clustering and transport behaviors of ionic liquids inside the benchmark ionic polymer Nafion. Spin relaxation shows that anion relaxation is more influenced by the fixed sulfonate groups than cation relaxation. 2D ¹H-¹⁹F heteronuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (HOESY) and 1D ¹⁹F¹⁹F selective nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) spectroscopy confirm our assumption of the formation of ion clusters at low water content in the ionomer. While we observe non-restricted diffusion behavior for cations, anion diffusion is strongly restricted both between domain boundaries and within domains in the absence of water. The restricted anion diffusion can serve as a reliable probe for detailed multiscale structures of the ionomer.
Ph. D.

En el trabajo desarrollado en esta tesis se han sintetizado y caracterizado diversas nanopartículas de óxidos de hierro funcionalizadas con escuaramidas o antifolatos a través del uso de linkers apropiados como la dopamina o el APTES. Varias nanopartículas funcionalizadas con escuaramidas han sido utilizadas para evaluar su comportamiento supramolecular frente a carboxilatos e iones de metales pesados. Se ha demostrado la capacidad de la conjunción nanopartícula-escuaramida para actuar como receptores de estos analitos estableciendo cierta selectividad en el proceso. Algunas de estas nanopartículas también han sido estudiadas como posibles agentes transportadores de fármacos antineoplásicos, específicamente, antifolatos. Se han evaluado dos estrategias de transporte: una a través de interacciones no covalentes y otra mediante enlaces covalentes. A través de ensayos de viabilidad celular frente a células de adenocarcinoma de pulmón humano (A549) se determinó la mayor eficacia de la estrategia covalente frente a la no covalente.

La délivrance de médicament dans l’organisme vers des organes cibles tout en minimisant les effets secondaires représente un énorme défi scientifique. Les recherches actuelles révèlent qu’il existe de nombreuses embuches pour acheminer des composés thérapeutiques vers le système nerveux central. De nombreuses maladies (l’autisme, la schizophrénie, la maladie d’Alzheimer…) liées au système nerveux central nuisent à la qualité de vie et entrainent des coûts importants pour la société. Ce mémoire repose sur l’amélioration de l’accessibilité de composés thérapeutiques vers le cerveau en passant la barrière hémato-encéphalique, une barrière biologique difficilement franchissable. Pour introduire des médicaments dans le système nerveux central, il faut passer cette barrière, ce qui est très difficile, car elle est remarquablement efficace pour protéger le milieu cérébral. C’est pourquoi nous allons développer une nouvelle stratégie consistant à élaborer un nouveau type de transporteur. Nous proposons d’utiliser des macrolactames ayant la propriété de s’empiler sous forme de tubes supramoléculaires d’une stabilité adéquate. Il sera alors possible d’y greffer des médicaments et aussi des agents d’ouverture de la barrière hémato-encéphalique. Ce mémoire présente l’élaboration de ces nouveaux macrocycles chiraux, les résultats de différentes analyses structurales prouvant la présence de tubes et de systèmes robustes et enfin la fonctionnalisation du macrocycle par un agent médicamenteux (doxorubicine).
Abstract : Delivering drug into the body to target specific organs, while minimizing side effects, is an enormous scientific challenge. Current research reveals that there are many pitfalls for delivering therapeutic compounds to the central nervous system. Many diseases (autism, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, etc.) linked to the central nervous system affect the quality of life and entail significant costs for society. This thesis is based on the improvement in the accessibility of therapeutic compounds to the brain by passing the blood-brain barrier, a biological barrier difficult to cross. To introduce drugs into the central nervous system, this barrier must be overcome. This is very difficult because it is remarkably effective in protecting the brain. This is why we will develop a new strategy based on a new type of transporter. We propose to use macrolactams having the property of stacking in the form of supramolecular tubes of adequate stability. It will then be possible to graft medicines and also agents capable of opening the blood-brain barrier. This manuscript describes the development of these new chiral macrocycles, the results of various structural analyses proving the presence of robust tubes and systems, and finally the functionalization of the macrocycles by a medicinal agent (doxorubicin).

[Formulae and special characters can only be approximated here. Please see the pdf version of the Abstract for an accurate reproduction.] The kinetics for outer-sphere electron transfer between a series of cobalt(II) poly-aza cage ligand complexes and the iron(III) sarcophagine-type hexa-aza cage complex, [Fe(sar)]3+ (sar = 3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]icosane), in aqueous solution have been investigated and the Marcus correlation is used to deduce the electron self-exchange rate constant for the [Fe(sar)]3+/2+ couple from these cross-reactions. The deduced electron self-exchange rate constant is in relatively good agreement with the experimentally determined rate constant (k ex calc = 4 ´ 10 5 M -1 s -1 ; k ex obs = 8 ´ 10 5 M -1 s -1 ). The successful application of the Marcus correlation to the electron transfer reactions of the Fe cage complex is consistent with the trend for the Co, Mn, Ni and Ru cage complexes which all follow the pattern of outer-sphere electron transfer reactivity expected from the Marcus-Hush formalism. A comparison of predictions based on the Marcus correlation with the experimentally determined kinetics of an extended series of cross reactions involving cobalt cage complexes with low-spin-high-spin cobalt(III)/(II) couples shows that electron transfer reactions involving large spin changes at the metal centre are not necessarily anomalous in the context of the adiabatic Marcus-Hush formalism. The results of this study also show that for suitable systems, the Marcus correlation can be used to reliably calculate the rates of outer-sphere electron transfer cross-reactions, with reaction free-energy changes spanning the range -6 to -41 kJ mol -1 and many different combinations of initial electronic configurations. Together, these results provide a coherent and internally consistent set of experimental data in support of the Marcus-Hush formalism for outer-sphere electron transfer. The results with the caged metal-ion systems also highlight the special nature of the mechanism of electron transfer in reactions of metal-aqua ions. ¶ A new range of symmetrically disubstituted hexa-aza sarcophagine-type cage ligand complexes are prepared in this study by the base-catalysed co-condensation of formaldehyde and a-methylene aliphatic aldehydes with cobalt(III) tris(1,2-diamine) precursors in acetonitrile solution. Encapsulation reactions based on the condensation of the weak carbon di-acids propanal and decanal with formaldehyde and the cobalt(III) tris(1,2-diamine) precursors, [Co(en)3 ] 3+ (en = 1,2-ethanediamine) and D-lel3 -[Co((R, R)-chxn)3 ] 3+ (chxn = 1,2-cyclohexanediamine), yield unsaturated cobalt(III) cage complexes with an endo-cyclic imine function in each cap. The Co III -coordinated endo-cyclic imine units of the cage ligands are reactive electrophiles that are readily reduced by the BH4 - ion to give the corresponding symmetrically di-substituted hexaamine macrobicyclic cage ligands. The nitromethane carbanion is also shown to add at the endo-cyclic imine function to yield a novel nitromethylated cage ligand complex. The latter reaction introduces a new method for the regioselective functionalisation of cage ligands at sites removed from the more commonly substituted bridgehead positions. The capping of cobalt(III) tris(1,2-diamine)-type complexes with weak CH-acids developed in this study introduces a new and more direct route to symmetrically di-substituted cage ligand complexes. ¶ A new range of cobalt(III) surfactant cage complexes, with linear octyl, dodecyl and hexadecyl hydrocarbon chains built directly into the bridgehead structure of the cage ligand, have been prepared by the base catalysed co-condensation of formaldehyde and long chain aliphatic aldehydes with the tripodal cobalt(III) hexaamine complex, [Co(sen)]3+ (sen = 4,4',4''-ethylidynetris(3-azabutan-1-amine)), in acetonitrile solution. Chiral surfactant cage complexes are obtained by capping reactions beginning with the optically pure L-[Co(sen)]3+ precursor complex. The cobalt(III) cage complexes with octyl to hexadecyl substituents are surface active and reduce the surface tension of water to levels approaching those of organic solvents. The dodecyl substituted cage complex forms micelles in aqueous solution when the concentration of cage complex is > 1 ´ 10 -3 mol dm -3 at 25 °C. The cobalt(III) cage head-group of these surfactants undergoes an electrochemically reversible one-electron reduction to the corresponding cobalt(II) cage complex. The reduction potential of the surfactant head group can be tuned to more positive potentials by replacing the bridgehead hydrocarbon chain substituent with an ether linked hydrocarbon chain. The cobalt(III) surfactant-cage complexes are biologically active and are lethal to the tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta, and the vaginal parasites, Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus. The surfactant cage complexes also cause lysis in red-blood cell membranes at concentrations as low 10 -5 mol dm -3 . Their biological activity is linked to the high head-group charge (3+) and size which cause distortions in biological membranes when the membrane is treated with these molecules. The combination of the chemically reversible outer-sphere redox properties of the cobalt cage head-groups and the chirality of the head group introduces a new and possibly unique series of chiral surfactant coordination complexes which are also redox active. ¶ The chiral carboxylic-acid ionophore, lasalocid A, has been used to promote the selective supramolecular transport and extraction of cobalt(III) hexa-aza cage cations and related tripodal cobalt(III) complexes. The conjugate base anion of lasalocid A forms stoichiometric outer-sphere complexes with the cobalt(III) cage and tripod complexes. These outer-sphere complexes are highly lipophilic and partition strongly from water into a chloroform phase. The extraction of the dissymmetric cobalt(III) complexes by the chiral polyether anion is enantioselective for many systems and results in the partial resolution of initially racemic complexes in the aqueous phase. A strong structural preference was demonstrated by the ionophore for symmetrically disubstituted cobalt(III) hexa-aza cage cations with a D-absolute configuration of the ligand about the metal-ion and an R configuration of the coordinated secondary amine N-H groups. The lasalocid A anion was also shown to promote the transport of the complexes, intact, across a chloroform bulk-liquid membrane against an NH4 + concentration gradient. The transport of the cobalt(III) complexes was also enantioselective and resulted in partial resolution of the initially racemic aqueous phase. The most efficiently transported enantiomer of each complex was also the most efficiently extracted isomer in all systems examined, consistent with a transport process limited by interfacial diffusion. The magnitude of the enantiomer separation obtained in some systems was sufficient to indicate that lasalocid A mediated extraction and transport may become a practical method for the resolution of particular types of kinetically-inert chiral metal-amine complexes.

Conjugated polymers have attracted much interest as promising alternatives to inorganic semiconductors, due to their low-temperature, solution-based processability, which may provide for low-cost, large-area electronic device fabrication. However, commercialization of polymer-based electronic devices has been restricted owing to low device performance of solidified thin-films. In order to enhance charge transport of polymer semiconductor thin-films, the self-organization of organic polymer semiconductors into ordered supramolecular assemblies has been achieved by tuning a range of process parameters including film deposition method (spin vs. drop cast), solvent boiling point (low vs. high boiling point), polymer-dielectric interface treatment, and post-deposition processing (solvent vapor or thermal annealing). However, these strategies give rise to limitations for large-scale high-throughput processing due to associated pre- and/or post semiconductor deposition steps. Therefore, in this thesis, we identify alternative processing parameters (i.e., hydrogen bonds between good and poor solvents, UV irradiation to polymer precursor solutions, and combination of sonication and subsequent UV irradiation to polymer precursor solutions) which can contribute to enhancement in charge transport of a model polymer semiconductor, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT), eliminating the additional pre- and/or post-steps mentioned above. Further, we understand of how the processing parameters effect intra- and intermolecular interactions of the polymer chains, micro- through macroscopic morphologies, and charge transport characteristics of the resultant films.

Chemistry
Ph.D.
Understanding charge transport through molecular junctions and factors affecting the conductivity at the single molecule level is the first step in designing functional electronic devices using individual molecules. A variety of methods have been developed to fabricate metal-molecule-metal junctions in order to evaluate Single Molecule Conductance (SMC). Single molecule junctions usually are formed by wiring a molecule between two metal electrodes via anchoring groups that provide efficient electronic coupling and bind the organic molecular backbone to the metal electrodes. We demonstrated a novel strategy to fabricate single molecule junctions by employing the stabilization provided by the long range ordered structure of the molecules on the surface. The templates formed by the ordered molecular adlayer immobilize the molecule on the electrode surface and facilitate conductance measurements of single molecule junctions with controlled molecular orientation. This strategy enables the construction of orientation-controlled single molecule junctions, with molecules lacking proper anchoring groups that cannot be formed via conventional SMC methods. Utilizing Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) imaging and STM break junction (STM-BJ) techniques combined, we employed the molecular assembly of mesitylene to create highly conductive molecular junctions with controlled orientation of benzene ring perpendicular to the STM tip as the electrode. The long range ordered structure of mesitylene molecules imaged using STM, supports the hypothesis that mesitylene is initially adsorbed on the Au(111) with the benzene ring lying flat on the surface and perpendicular to the Au tip. Thus, long range ordered structure of mesitylene facilitates formation of Au-π-Au junctions. Mesitylene molecules do not have standard anchoring groups providing enough contact to the gold electrode and the only assumable geometry for the molecules in the junction is via direct contact between Au and the π system of the benzene ring in mesitylene. SMC measurements for Au/mesitylene/Au junctions results in a molecular conductance value around 0.125Go, two orders of magnitude higher than the measured conductance of a benzene ring connected via anchoring groups. We attributed this conductance peak to charge transport perpendicular to the benzene ring due to direct coupling between the π system and the gold electrode that happens in planar orientation. The conductance we measured for planar orientation of benzene ring is two order of magnitude larger than conductance of junctions formed with benzene derivatives with conventional linkers. Thus, altering the orientation of a single benzene-containing molecule between the two electrodes from planar orientation to the upright attached via the linkers, results in altering the conductivity in a large order. Based on these findings, by utilizing STM imaging and STM-BJ in an electrochemical environment including potential induced self-assembly formation of terephthalic acid, we designed an electrochemical single molecule switch. Terephthalic acid forms large domains of ordered structure on negatively charged Au(111) surface under negative electrochemical surface potentials with the benzene ring lying flat on the surface due to hydrogen bonding between carboxylic acid groups of neighboring molecules. Formation of long range ordered structure facilitates direct contact between the π system of the benzene ring and the gold electrodes resulting in the conductance peak. On positively charged Au(111), deprotonation of carboxylic acid groups leads to absence of long range ordered structure of molecules with planar orientation and absence of the conductance peak. In this case alternating the surface (electrode) potential from negative to positive charge densities induces a transition in the adlayer structure on the surface and switches conductance value. Hence, electrochemical surface potential can, in principle, be employed as an external stimulus to switch single molecule arrangement on the surface and the conductance in the junction. The observation of conductance switching due to molecule’s arrangement in the junction lead to the hypothesis that for any benzene derivative, an orientation-dependent conductance in the junction due to the contact geometry (i.e. electrode-anchoring groups versus direct electrode-π contact) should be expected. Conventional techniques in fabricating single molecule junctions enable accessing charge transport along only one direction, i.e., between two anchoring groups. However, molecules such as benzene derivatives are anisotropic objects and we are able to measure an orientation-dependent conductance. In order to systematically study anisotropic conductivity at single molecule level, we need to measure the conductance in different and well-controlled orientations of single molecules in the junction. We employed the same EC-STM-BJ set up for SMC measurements and utilize electrochemical potential of the substrate (electrode) as the tuning source to variate the orientation of the single molecule in the junction. We investigated single molecule conductance of the benzene rings with carboxylic acid functional groups in two orientations: one with the benzene ring bridging between two electrodes using carboxylic acids as anchoring groups (upright); and one with the molecule lying flat on the substrate perpendicular to the STM tip (planar). Physisorption of these species on the Au (111) single crystal electrode surface at negative electrochemical potentials results in an ordered structure with the benzene ring in a planar orientation. Positive electrochemical potentials cause formation of the ordered structure with molecules standing upright due to coordination of a deprotonated carboxyl groups to the electrode surface. Thus, formation of the single molecule junction and consequently conductivity measurements is facilitated in two directions for the same molecule and anisotropic conductivity can be studied. In engineering well-ordered two-dimensional (2-D) molecular structures with controlled assembly of molecular species, pH can be employed as another tuning source for the molecular structures and adsorption in experiments conducted in aqueous solutions. Based on simple chemical principles, amine (NH2) groups are hydrogen bond acceptors and donors. Amines are soluble in water and protonation results in protonated (NH3+) and unprotonated (NH2) amine groups in acidic and moderately acidic/neutral solutions, respectively. Thus, amines are suitable molecular building blocks for fabricating 2-D supramolecular structures where pH is employed as a knob to manipulate intermolecular hydrogen bonding leading to phase transitions. We investigated pH induced structural changes in the 1,3,5–triaminobenzene (TAB) monolayer and the formation/disruption of hydrogen bonds between neighboring molecules. Our STM images indicate that in the concentrated acidic solution, the protonated amine groups of TAB are not able to form H-bonds and long range ordered structure of TAB does not form on the Au(111) surface. However, in moderately acidic solution (pH ~ 5.5) at room temperature, protonation on the ring carbon atom generates species capable of forming H-bonds leading to the formation of the long range ordered structures of TAB molecules. Utilizing EC-STM set up, we investigated the controllable fabrication of a TAB 2-D supramolecular structure based on amine-amine hydrogen bonding and effect of pH in formation of ordered/disordered TAB network.
Temple University--Theses

L'objectif de ce travail de recherche est l'étude du transport des ions et des molécules d'eau à travers de membranes bicouche lipidique et des membranes polymériques. Dans une première partie, ce transport a été réalisé à travers des systèmes synthétiques auto-organisés, dont la sélectivité est en étroite relation avec le type d'architecture supramoléculaire formée grâce à des liaisons faibles. Le but est d'obtenir des systèmes qui peuvent imiter les fonctions de transport des protéines membranaires. Ce mimétisme fonctionnel est obtenu par l'auto-assemblage de molécules organiques contenant le cycle imidazole et la fonction urée, qui peuvent s'auto-assembler et créer des voies sélectives de transport des ions. Pour créer l'équivalent de la membrane cellulaire, nous avons utilisé des vésicules lipidiques unilamellaires. Ensuite, nous avons déterminé une relation entre l'activité des composés et leur structure. Pour ce faire, le transport des ions est étudié à l'aide d'une méthode de spectroscopie de fluorescence, et le transport d'eau par diffusion dynamique de la lumière utilisant la technique de « stopped flow ». Le but de la deuxième partie est la fabrication et la caractérisation des nouvelles membranes composites sous forme de couches minces, qui permettraient un bon compromis entre le flux d'eau et le rejet de sel. Dans ce cadre, la synthèse d'une série d'hydrazides en tant que précurseurs moléculaires a été réalisée, pour remplacer la métaphenylène diamine (MPD) classiquement utilisée. Ici aussi les liaisons hydrogène jouent un rôle important, car le principe de la séparation repose sur la création d'une organisation interne hautement réticulée. Les polymères synthétisés par polymérisation interfaciale ont été caractérisés par des méthodes de spectroscopie infrarouge, analyses thermogravimétriques et diffraction des rayons X. Les membranes composites ont été caractérisées par microscopie électronique à balayage, microscopie à force atomique et mesures d'angle de contact. Les performances membranaires ont été testées en filtration frontale d'eau et de solutions salines
The aim of this work is the study of ion and water transport either across bilayer membranes or polymeric membranes used for reverse osmosis. In the first part, this transport through self-assembled synthetic systems was studied; the transport selectivity is in strong relation with the supramolecular structure, formed by weak intra and intermolecular bonds. Ion transport is studied by fluorescence spectroscopy and water transport is studied by light scattering using “stopped flow” technique. The objective is to obtain systems that could imitate transport functions of biomolecules as transmembrane proteins. This functional mimicry is achieved through self-assembly of organic molecules containing imidazole cycle and urea function that can self-assembly and form selective pathways for ion transport. To create the equivalent of the cell membrane, we used unilamellar lipid vesicles. Then, we determined a structure - transport activity relationship for a series of synthesized compounds. For the second part of this work we described the fabrication and the characterization of new thin film composite membranes for water desalination that can present a good balance between permeability and salt rejection. A series of hydrazides as molecular precursors was synthesized in order to replace the metaphenylene diamine (MPD), classically used. Again, hydrogen bonds play an important role, because the rejection is due to a high cross-linking. The polymers synthesized by interfacial polymerization were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-Ray diffraction. The membrane films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Membrane performances were then tested in cross-flow filtration of water and saline solutions

The development of synthetic molecular receptors that can selectively bind anions, translocate them through a lipidic bilayer membrane and release them on the other side is a very topical and emerging field of supramolecular chemistry, warranted by the biological importance of transmembrane anion transport.The first part of this thesis is devoted to the study of the transmembrane transport of chloride and of the organic ion pair propylammonium chloride with calix[6]arene receptors functionalized with three (thio)urea arms on their small rim. The transport of chloride across the lipid bilayer of liposomes was monitored by fluorescence spectroscopy using the lucigenin assay. We report the first example of calix[6]arenes able to act as mobile carrier for the transport of chloride via a Cl-/NO3- antiport. We furthermore show that our calixarene systems are able to perform the cotransport of propylammonium chloride, with the chloride bound at the level of the (thio)urea groups and the ammonium included in the calixarene cavity. To provide direct proof of cotransport, we developed a 1H NMR methodology involving a thulium- complex shift reagent with which we were able to distinguish the signals of the ammonium transported inside the liposomes from those of the external ammonium. We also highlight the role of the complexing calixarene cavity for the cotransport by comparing the calixarenes to known transporters deprived of a cavity. The transmembrane transport organic ion pairs could find applications in the transport of biologically relevant ammonium compounds such as catecholamines and amino acids. Our results are reported in the publication “Repositioning Chloride Transmembrane Transporters: Transport of Organic Ion Pairs” Grauwels, G. Valkenier, H. Davis, A. P. Jabin, I. Bartik, K. Angew. Chemie - Int. Ed. 2019, 58, 6921–6925.The second part of this thesis is devoted to the study of binding of chloride to receptors embedded in a lipid membrane, the first step of the transmembrane transport process. Both 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy proved to be inadequate to study the binding using liposomes or micelles as model membranes. With liposomes, the NMR signals are too broad to be exploited and in the case of micelles, the competition between the lipid headgroups and chloride made it impossible to obtain a NMR signature which unambiguously characterizes chloride binding. The 35Cl NMR signal is on the other hand strongly affected by the presence of anion receptors, both in organic solvents and when incorporated lipid bilayers. We developed a methodology to evaluate the binding of chloride, based on the monitoring of the chloride linewidth during titration experiments. A linear relationship between the linewidth and the concentration of receptors is observed and the slopes can be exploited to compare the binding strengths of different structurally related receptors. We show that 35/37Cl NMR is a versatile tool which can help in the understanding and development of new transporters by providing new insights of the physicochemical understanding of the transport process.
Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur et technologie
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Ce projet de thèse étudie la synthèse et les propriétés des triarylamines pour le transport d'électrons, d'ions ou de molécules d'eau, en se basant sur les propriétés d'auto-assemblage et de conductivité de certaines triarylamines, récemment découvertes par notre équipe. La thèse débute par une introduction sur la chimie supramoléculaire et les polymères supramoléculaires, et aborde ensuite dans son deuxième chapitre la synthèse et les propriétés d'analogues macrocycliques de triarylamine présentant des propriétés électromagnétiques intéressantes. Dans le chapitre suivant, ce travail de thèse explore l'applicabilité des triarylamines pour le transport biomimétique des ions métalliques et des molécules d'eau à travers des membranes de bicouches lipidiques. Le dernier chapitre de cette thèse s'intéresse ensuite à la fabrication de surfaces conductrices organiques / inorganiques hybrides par dopage de surfaces non conductrices avec des assemblages de triarylamines
Based on the navel and highly interesting self-assembly properties found for certain triarylamines, together with the resulting conducting properties, this PhD project investigates the synthesis and properties of triarylamines towards the transport of electrons, ions or water molecules. The thesis starts with an introduction on supramolecular chemistry and supramolecular polymers, and then discuss in its second chapter the synthesis and properties of macrocyclic triarylamine analogues with interesting electromagnetic properties. ln the following third chapter this thesis work explores the applicability of triarylamines towards the biomimetic transport of metal ions and water molecules through lipid bilayer membranes. The last chapter of this thesis then deals with the fabrication of hybrid organic/inorganic conducting surfaces through doping of non-conducting surfaces with triarylamine assemblies

Ce travail présente la synthèse, la caractérisation et l’utilisation (transfert électronique photo-induit) de foldamères de taille nanométriques constitués d’unité quinolines. Grâce a une stratégie de synthèse de doublement de segment une grande variété d’oligomères (jusqu’à 96 unités) ont pu être préparé à partir du synthon 8 aminoquinoline-2-carboxylate.Leurs propriétés dynamiques de ces objets ont été étudiées en solution et en phase gazeuse. La spectrométrie de masse de mobilité ionique a permis de déterminer leur conformation en phase gazeuse. Les expériences de RMN DOSY et d’anisotropie de Fluorescence ont permis de déterminer leurs propriétés de diffusion (transrationnelle et rotationnelle). Ces résultats ont révélés qui ces foldamères sont rigides et que leur architecture hélicoïdale est conservée.Le transport électronique photo-induit à travers ces foldamères de taille nanométrique ont été étudié et le mécanisme de transfert ainsi que son efficacité ont été déterminé pour une série de composés de tailles variables
Herein, synthesis, characterization and application (photoinduced electron transport) of nanosized quinoline-based foldamers have been explored. With double segment strategy, a variety of helical nanosized foldamers (up to 96 quinoline units) were successfully prepared based on 8-aminoquinoline-2-carboxylic acid monomer.The dynamic properties in gas phase and solution were investigated. Ion mobility mass spectrometry afforded access to the conformation state of foldamers ingas phase; DOSY and fluorescence anisotropy assessed the diffusion (translational and rotational, respectively) of foldamers in solution. All of these techniques revealed that quinoline-based foldamers are rigid and that helical conformation is conserved. Photoinduced electron transport through nanosized foldamer was also studied and the mechanism and the transport ratios were revealed

En esta Tesis Doctoral, titulada “Oligoescuaramidas cíclicas: síntesis y actividad biológica”, se recoge la síntesis de diferentes derivados escuaramídicos con aplicaciones biológicas. La Tesis se divide en cuatro capítulos. El primer capítulo es una introducción y los tres capítulos restantes recogen los resultados obtenidos siguiendo el flujo de trabajo temporal, ya que los objetivos de cada capítulo derivan de los resultados del capítulo anterior. El primer capítulo es una introducción donde se describe la unidad escuaramida y las aplicaciones biológicas de algunos compuestos que incluyen esta estructura. En el segundo capítulo se presenta la síntesis de oligoescuaramidas cíclicas con diferentes modificaciones estructurales. Una vez resuelta la síntesis y elucidación estructural, se ha estudiado su actividad antitumoral comparando los resultados con los obtenidos en un estudio previo. Las nuevas oligoescuaramidas cíclicas sintetizadas presentan una actividad tumoral similar o inferior que aquellas estudiadas previamente. En este capítulo se detallan además las diferentes alternativas sintéticas que se han seguido para hacer frente a los inconvenientes que se han ido presentando durante las etapas de elongación y macrociclación. En el tercer capítulo se describe la síntesis de tres sondas fluorescentes con la finalidad de seguir la evolución temporal y la localización intracelular de las oligoescuaramidas una vez realizado el tratamiento. El estudio se ha realizado utilizando la oligoescuaramida cíclica de menor tamaño debido a su baja citotoxicidad. En total se han preparado tres sondas que se diferencian en el fluoróforo utilizado y en el método de conjugación. Los mejores resultados se han obtenido con una sonda que incluye un derivado de BODIPY como marcador fluorescente. Esta sonda se internaliza mediante transporte activo y es fotoestable. La facilidad de internalización celular se ha explicado en base a la afinidad observada entre la oligoescuaramida cíclica y moléculas fosforiladas presentes en la membrana celular y en el citoplasma. Para apoyar esta hipótesis, se describen los estudios realizados mediante ITC para determinar la afinidad entre una oligoescuaramida cíclica cuaternizada y modelos de algunas biomoléculas relevantes tales como: manosa 6-fosfato, fosfocolina, etc. Los conjugados covalentes de oligoescuaramidas cíclicas pueden facilitar el transporte de fármacos. Por esto y contando con las evidencias de la internalización celular, se ha planteado su utilización futura como transportadores autoinmolativos. Así pues, el cuarto capítulo se ha dedicado al diseño, síntesis y evaluación de un sistema autoinmolativo compuesto por una unidad escuaramida y un modelo de "carga", en este caso un fluoróforo. Después de diversos intentos se ha conseguido optimizar un sistema basado en el uso de grupos disulfuro como gatillo. El sistema desarrollado libera la totalidad de la “carga” en condiciones fisiológicas propias de un entorno intracelular en un periodo de dos horas. De este modo se abre la posibilidad de funcionalizar uno de sus extremos con oligoescuaramidas cíclicas u otros transportadores, activando la liberación de la “carga” únicamente en el interior celular y separando de esta manera el transportador de la "carga".
A aquesta Tesi Doctoral, titulada “Oligoesquaramides cícliques: síntesis i activitat biològica”, es recull la síntesis de diferents derivats esquaramídics amb aplicacions biològiques. La Tesi es divideix en quatre capítols. El primer capítol és una introducció i els tres capítols restants recullen els resultats obtinguts seguint un flux de treball temporal, ja que els objectius de cada capítol deriven dels resultats del capítol anterior. El primer capítol és una introducció on es descriu la unitat esquaramida i les aplicacions biològiques d’alguns composts que inclouen aquesta estructura. Al segon capítol es presenta la síntesis d’oligoesquaramides cícliques amb diferents modificacions estructurals. Una vegada resolta la síntesis i elucidació estructural, s’ha estudiat la seva activitat antitumoral comparant els resultats amb els obtinguts a un estudi previ. Les noves oligoesquaramides cícliques sintetitzades tenen una activitat tumoral similar o inferior que aquelles estudiades prèviament. En aquest capítol es detallen a més les diferents alternatives sintètiques que s’han seguit per fer front als inconvenients que s’han anat presentant durant les etapes d’elongació i macrociclación. Al tercer capítol es descriu la síntesis de sondes fluorescent amb la finalitat de seguir l’evolució temporal i la localització intracel•lular de les oligoesquaramides una vegada realitzat el tractament. L’estudi s’ha realitzat emprant l’oligoesquaramida cíclica més petita degut a la seva baixa citotoxicitat. En total s’han preparat tres sondes fluorescent que es diferencien al fluoròfor emprat i al mètode de conjugació. Els millors resultats s’han obtingut amb una sonda que inclou un derivat de BODIPY com a marcador fluorescent. Aquesta sonda s’internalitza mitjançant transport actiu i es fotoestable. La facilitat d’internalització cel•lular s’ha explicat en base a l’afinitat observada entre l’oligoesquaramida cíclica i molècules fosforilades presents a la membrana cel•lular i al citoplasma. Per suportar aquesta hipòtesis, es descriuen els estudis realitzats amb ITC per determinar l’afinitat entre una oligoesquaramida cíclica quaternitzada i models d’algunes biomolècules rellevants tals com: manosa 6-fosfat, fosfocolina, etc. Els conjugats covalents d’oligoesquaramides cícliques poden facilitar el transport de fàrmacs. Per aquest motiu i amb les evidències de la internalització cel•lular, s’ha plantejat la seva utilització futura com a transportadors autoimmolatius. Així doncs, el quart capítol s’ha dedicat al disseny, síntesis i avaluació d’un sistema autoimmolatiu format per una unitat esquaramida i un model de “càrrega”, en aquest cas un fluoròfor. Després de diversos intents s’ha aconseguit optimitzar un sistema basat en l’ús de grups disulfur com a gallet. El sistema desenvolupat allibera la totalitat de la “càrrega” en condicions fisiològiques pròpies d’un entorn intracel•lular en un període de dues hores. D’aquesta forma s’obre la possibilitat de funcionalizar un dels seus extrems amb oligoesquaramides cícliques o altres transportadors, activant l’alliberació de la “càrrega” únicament a l’interior cel•lular i separant d’aquesta forma el transportador de la “càrrega”.
This Doctoral thesis, entitled “Cyclic oligosquaramides: synthesis and biological activity”, describes the synthesis of different squaramidic derivatives with biological applications. The Thesis is divided in four chapters. Chapter 1 is an introduction and the remaining chapters compile the results obtained. They are organized following the temporal workflow. Thus, the objectives of every chapter arise from the results of the previous one. Chapter 1 describes the squaramide unit properties and the biological applications of some compounds with this structure. Chapter 2 presents the synthesis of cyclic oligosquaramides with different structural modifications. Once solved the synthesis and structural elucidation, their antitumor activity has been evaluated, comparing the results with those obtained in a previous assay. The new synthetized cyclic oligosquaramides have similar or lower antitumoral activity that those studied before. In this chapter are also included the different synthetic strategies followed in order to overcome the drawbacks arisen during the elongation and macrocyclization stages. Chapter 3 reports the synthesis of cyclic oligosquaramides fluorescent probes with the aim to investigate the cell permeabilization process and the inner cell localization of these compounds once the treatment is done. The study has been done with the smallest cyclic oligosquaramide due to its low cytotoxicity. Altogether, three fluorescent probes have been prepared, differing in the fluorophore used and the conjugation procedure. Best results have been achieved with a probe containing a BODIPY derivative as a fluorescent marker. This probe is internalized by active transport, has a great photostability and remains located at late endosomes within the cell. The easily achieved cell internalization has been explained with the affinity observed between the cyclic oligosquaramide and phosphorylated molecules found in cell membranes and in the cytoplasm. To support this hypothesis, this chapter includes the experiments done with ITC in order to determine the affinity between a cyclic quaternized oligosquaramide and models from some relevant biomolecules as: mannose 6-phosphate, phosphocholine, etc. The covalent conjugates with cyclic oligosquaramides are able to facilitate drugs transportation. Because of this, and with the evidence of the observed cell internalization, their utilization as autoimmolative carriers has been proposed. So, Chapter 4 describes the design, synthesis and evaluation of an autoimmolative system consisting in a squaramide unit and a load, in this case a fluorophore. After some attempts, the system has been optimized using a disulfide bond as the trigger. The developed autoimmolative system releases the entire load in physiological conditions after two hours.

Six series of cunitic amphiphiles based on benzene sulfonates were synthesized. The molecular characterization was performed by IR and NMR spectroscopy and the purity was determined by elemental analysis and thin layer chromatography. The thermotropic properties of these cunitic sulfonate amphiphiles were subsequently investigated by means of a combination of DSC, polarized microscopy and X-ray scattering. Most of the synthesized sulfonates were found to exhibit hexagonal columnar mesophases, some of them exhibited a complex polymorphism. The polymorphism depended upon variation of the molecular structure. The Six series of cunitic amphiphiles based on benzene sulfonates were synthesized. The molecular characterization was performed by IR and NMR spectroscopy and the purity was determined by elemental analysis and thin layer chromatography. The thermotropic properties of these cunitic sulfonate amphiphiles were subsequently investigated by means of a combination of DSC, polarized microscopy and X-ray scattering. Most of the synthesized sulfonates were found to exhibit hexagonal columnar mesophases, some of them exhibited a complex polymorphism. The polymorphism depended upon variation of the molecular structure. The phase behavior was determined by the nature of headgroup cation Mn+ (n=1, 2), and for the same Mn+ by the carbon number at the hydrophobic tail and by temperature as well. The lyotropic properties of these cunitic sulfonate amphiphiles were also studied by investigating their gelation behavior and gelling capability. A number of the amphiphiles were found to be favorable organogelators that gel various organic solvents of either high or low polarity upon self-aggregation driven by the Coulomb interaction. The morphological results by means of SEM and TEM demonstrate that the organogelators are able to form fibrous network microstructures by self-organization and self-aggregation. The cylindrical aggregates with sulfonated headgroup in the center as well embody the potential to construct ion-selective transport membranes. The cunitic amphiphiles containing polar sulfonate units at their focal point and polymerizable olefin group on their periphery were exploited to prepare functional membranes that contain ion-active transport channels. The ion-selectivity of the formed membranes was investigated by means of ion transport experiments with LiCl, NaCl, KCl solutions of different concentration. By comparison of the ion transport rates across the membranes the ionic permselectivity was demonstrated.

Tese de Mestrado parcialmente desenvolvida e suportada pelo projeto “Verão com Ciência”, aquando da participação na Escola de Verão do Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV-REQUIMTE), que decorreu de 27 de julho até 30 de outubro de 2020, na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia.
In the field of biochemistry, the study of peptides is of great interest, not only due to the variety of functions these molecules present in biological systems (e.g. in signalling, neuromodulation, immune response and metabolism) but also as tools in biotechnology and as pharmaco-logical agents, as is the case of antimicrobial cell-penetrating peptides. Supramolecular receptors have had a rising application in the transport, modulation and sensing of these biomolecules, due to the strong interactions they can establish with affinities up to the nM range. In this thesis, a group of supramolecular dual emission sensors and a light-controlled transporter for cationic peptides were synthesized and characterized. These consist of a modular amphiphilic system based on a p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene receptor, monosubstituted in its lower rim with different functional groups, depending on the target application. The sensors SCnPy present an aliphatic chain of variable size (n = 4, 6), with a pyrene fluorescent moiety at its end, while the transporter SC6Azo presents a six-carbon aliphatic chain with an azobenzene moiety. SCnPy have shown to have the pyrene’s characteristic monomer emission at low concentration and, when at high enough concentrations or in the presence of organic cations, they can form ground state dimers that emit at higher wavelengths. The variation of chain length successfully modulated the capacity of the SCnPy sensors to aggregate. SC4Py showed this dual emission for polyarginines of four or more residues, presenting a critical aggregation concentration (CAC) of 9.8 μΜ for a 1:2 molar ratio of sensor to a six-residue polyarginine. SC6Py is able to aggregate in the presence of peptides with only 3 cationic residues, with CAC of 0.11 μM, with the same peptide and in the same conditions as for SC4Py. Furthermore, SC6Py showed selectivity for a fragment of the peptide Humanin, over a similar sequence of another mitochondrial signaling peptide, SHLP4, all the while presenting a dual emission that enables the correction of the measurement for instrumental factors and sensor concentration variations. Other phenomena and modes of detection (resonance energy transfer and dye displacement assays) were also explored for the SCnPy system. The light-controlled transporter, SC6Azo, also binds to polyarginines and presents an efficient light induced isomerization, with quantitative photochemical conversion from trans to cis, when irradiated at 382 nm, and reaching 73% of maximum conversion for the reverse reaction, upon irradiation at 500 nm. This enabled a great decrease in polarity of the tail, when irradiating the cis isomer and converting it to trans, showing a maximum increase of peptide transport in phosphatidylcholine liposomes of, approximately, 30%.

碩士
國立交通大學
應用化學系碩博士班
100
According to the experiments, we successfully connect RNA-like group, Uracil and Adenine, on PTC, one of the traditional hole transporting materials, and then synthesize PTC-U and PTC-A. The hydrogen bond renders physical cross-link between polymer main-chains and escalates materials’ thermal stability, and electro-chemical stability. Physical cross-links make polymer film less eroded and increase the possibility of the exercise on the multi-layer of PLED devise. In addition, the hydrogen bond brought by side-chain’s functional group reduces the distance between the main-chain and increases materials’ hole transporting ability. The functional group renders HOMO energy level of polymer closer to the work function of the glass substrate of Indium Tin Oxide and improves materials’ hole injection ability. The result shows that PTC-A with strong hydrogen bond is the best on thermal stability, electro-chemical stability, the ability of hole injection, and hole transporting ability. Glass transition temperature of PTC-A is 192℃. Among the devises made by ITO/HITMs/NPB/Alq3/LiF/Al, PTC-A devise performs the best. Its external quantum efficiency achieves 2.4%, luminance efficiency is 8 cd/A. The other devise made by ITO/HTMs/Ir(ppy)3:PVK/BCP/Alq3/LiF/Al, PTC-A’s devise external quantum efficiency achieves 9.5% which is better than PEDOT’s device 5.9%. Yet, PTC-A’s devise luminance efficiency is 36 cd/A, PEDOT’s device is only 21 cd/A. Based on the experiments, the new hole injecttion/transporting materials through RNA-like group connecting show enormous potential in application use.

碩士
國立交通大學
應用化學系碩博士班
99
A new concept to modify and enhance properties of existed functional polymers through bio-complementary interaction has been exploited. In this thesis, new DNA-mimetic π-conjugated poly(3-thiophene)s (P3HT) have been prepared which exhibits high thermal stability, non-corrosion, excellent hole injection and electron-blocking abilities in the solid state owing to the uracil induced physical cross-linking. The self-complementary phenomena were investigated by 1H NMR titration, DSC, WAXD and AFM in cast film provided further details into the nature of the self-assembly of these systems. Moreover, electrochemical studies reveal that the energy level of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) for these materials is between -5.12 and -5.17 eV, which is a good match for the work function of indium tin oxide (ITO), a commonly used anode for organic and polymer light-emmitting diodes (OLED and PLED). When the uracil-containing P3HTs are utilized as a hole-transporting layer (HTL) in the double layers OLED device, we found that the performance of the resulting device can be “ten times” higher than the high regularity and low regularity P3HTs and the performances are comparable to devices composed of the conventional PEDOT-PSS as HTLs with relatively less corrosive. This newly developed material may provide a potential route towards next-generation high-efficiency LED devices.

The kinetics for outer-sphere electron transfer between a series of cobalt(II) poly-aza cage ligand complexes and the iron(III) sarcophagine-type hexa-aza cage complex, [Fe(sar)]3+ (sar = 3,6,10,13,16,19-hexaazabicyclo[6.6.6]icosane), in aqueous solution have been investigated and the Marcus correlation is used to deduce the electron self-exchange rate constant for the [Fe(sar)]3+/2+ couple from these cross-reactions. The deduced electron self-exchange rate constant is in relatively good agreement with the experimentally determined rate constant (k ex calc = 4 ´ 10 5 M -1 s -1 ; k ex obs = 8 ´ 10 5 M -1 s -1 ). The successful application of the Marcus correlation to the electron transfer reactions of the Fe cage complex is consistent with the trend for the Co, Mn, Ni and Ru cage complexes which all follow the pattern of outer-sphere electron transfer reactivity expected from the Marcus-Hush formalism. A comparison of predictions based on the Marcus correlation with the experimentally determined kinetics of an extended series of cross reactions involving cobalt cage complexes with low-spin-high-spin cobalt(III)/(II) couples shows that electron transfer reactions involving large spin changes at the metal centre are not necessarily anomalous in the context of the adiabatic Marcus-Hush formalism. The results of this study also show that for suitable systems, the Marcus correlation can be used to reliably calculate the rates of outer-sphere electron transfer cross-reactions, with reaction free-energy changes spanning the range -6 to -41 kJ mol -1 and many different combinations of initial electronic configurations. Together, these results provide a coherent and internally consistent set of experimental data in support of the Marcus-Hush formalism for outer-sphere electron transfer. The results with the caged metal-ion systems also highlight the special nature of the mechanism of electron transfer in reactions of metal-aqua ions. ¶ ...

Two classes of ion-channels comprising 22 members were prepared. Three members were linear oligo-esters with terephthalate core designed to span both leaflets of the bilayer; these were prepared in a modular synthesis in three linear steps. 19 half-channels based on cyclodextrins with functionalized primary-rims were prepared by the Huisgen Cu+-catalyzed [3+2]-cyclization; three distinct synthetic protocols were established to be applicable to these substrates. The voltage-clamp experiment was used to characterize the ion transport properties of these 22 compounds as well as 5 oligo-esters previously prepared by solid-phase synthesis. All but two were active in bilayers, with the majority of these compounds showing highly complex conductance activities. Exponentially voltage-dependent currents were observed for two compounds (both terephthalate-derived); exclusive “square-top” activities were observed for one solid-phase–derived compound and one cyclodextrin-based channels; fractal openings were observed for at least two cyclodextrin-based channels. An “activity grid” notation was proposed as an empirical, coarse, but model-free method of treating the complex data. Through an exhaustive analysis of previously published synthetic ion channels, disparate compounds were found to share modes of activity. Supporting software were developed to facilitate the preparation of activity grids from current traces acquired for the aforementioned 27 compounds. Resulting activity grids for individual experiments were collated to generate an activity profile for each compound, from which a structure–activity map was established and could be compared to the literature data. Four core findings emerged. First, the activity grid notation is sufficiently expressive to denote highly complex mixture of activities. Second, systematic application of the notation reduces selection bias in data analysis. Third, many synthetic ion channels share highly sim- ilar activities and suggests the participation of the lipids, water, and ions in pore-formation. Lastly, the cyclodextrin half-channels are generally membrane active, and their activities are clearly modulated by structural variations.
Graduate