Hydrophobic and hydrophilic yoctowells.
Rigid molecular monolayers made of alpha,omega-diamido lipids form yoctoliter-sized gaps ("yoctowells", 1 yL = 10(-24) L or 1 nm3) around porphyrin islands on smooth surfaces. Their hydrophobic walls adsorb cyclic edge amphiphiles, e.g., trans-1,2-cyclohexanediol, cellobiose, and tyrosine, which fill-up the wells slowly and irreversibly by a process called "kinetic trapping". Wells with oligoethylene or oligoamide walls are effective as 3D-crown ethers or oligoamide barrels for reversible "thermodynamic trapping" of amines or amides. Three porphyrins A, B, and C were sorted as stacks within the yoctowells, and a methylammonium ring was established at their rim to fixate a fourth molecule D at a longer distance. Yoctowells are easy to prepare, characterize, and modify and provide simple models of biological modules.
Wang
Tianyu
T
Institut für Chemie der Freien Universität Berlin/Organische Chemie, Takustrasse 3, D-14195 Berlin, Germany.
Bhosale
Sheshanath
S
Bhosale
Sidhanath
S
Li
Guangtao
G
Fuhrhop
Jürgen-Hinrich
JH
D000588:Amines / Q000737:chemistry; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000737:chemistry; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007700:Kinetics; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008744:Methylamines / Q000737:chemistry; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000737:chemistry*; D012822:Silicon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D013499:Surface Properties; D013816:Thermodynamics
D000588:Amines; D005030:Ethylenes; D008055:Lipids; D008744:Methylamines; D011166:Porphyrins; D019343:Citric Acid; D006046:Gold; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C036216:ethylene; C027451:methylamine