title: The bis-urea motif as a tool to functionalize self-assembled nanoribbons.
abstract: Here we present a surfactant molecule (1) containing an ammonium headgroup, in which a bis-ureido group is incorporated in its hydrocarbon chain. Due to strong hydrogen bonding interactions, 1 forms well-defined highly ordered ribbon-like aggregates in water. Moreover, we demonstrate that these ribbons can be functionalized via a modular approach through molecular recognition of other bis-urea containing molecules. The dye disperse orange and biotin were coupled to matching bis-ureido groups and incorporated into the ribbon structure. The anchoring of different functionalities in a modular approach proved to be possible using the molecular recognition capabilities of the bis-ureido moiety, thereby opening possibilities to a wide range of applications.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry, and Department of Polymer Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Matthijn R J
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: Gorka Etxebarria
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Jardĺ
authors.forename: Anna Llanes
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pallas
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breurken
authors.forename: Otto L J
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: van Asselen
authors.forename: Paul H H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Bomans
authors.forename: Phillip E L G
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Leclère
authors.forename: Peter M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Frederik
authors.forename: Roeland J M
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Nico A J M
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sommerdijk