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PubMed · 8599085

Self-assembling dendrimers.

S C Zimmerman·F Zeng·D E Reichert·S V Kolotuchin
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Abstract

Hydrogen bond-mediated self-assembly is a powerful strategy for generating large structures from smaller subunits. The synthesis of molecules containing two isophthalic acid units covalently attached to a rigid aromatic spacer is described. By normal pairing of carboxylic acids into hydrogen-bonded dimers, these molecules self-assemble in organic solvents to form either a series of linear aggregates or a cyclic hexamer. These molecules were linked to the core of a family of polyether dendrimers, which caused the hexamer to be formed preferentially. The stability of the hexamer depended on the generation number of the dendrimer. The largest of these hydrogen-bonded macromolecular assemblies is roughly disk-shaped with a 9-nanometer diameter and a 2-nanometer thickness. Its size and molecular mass (34,000 daltons) are comparable to that of small proteins.

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Carboxylic AcidsChemical PhenomenaChemistry, PhysicalChromatographyHydrogen BondingMacromolecular SubstancesMagnetic Resonance SpectroscopyMolecular WeightPolymersSolventsJournal ArticleResearch Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

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S C Zimmerman, F Zeng, D E Reichert, S V Kolotuchin. 1996-02-23. Self-assembling dendrimers.. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.271.5252.1095

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