title: Tuning the pH-triggered self-assembly of dendritic peptide amphiphiles using fluorinated side chains.
abstract: We report the synthesis of a series of anionic dendritic peptide amphiphiles of increasing hydrophobic character. By establishing state diagrams we describe their pH and ionic strength triggered self-assembly into supramolecular nanorods in water and highlight the impact of hydrophobic shielding in the supramolecular polymerisation process. Via the incorporation of fluorinated peptide side chains the pH-triggered monomer to polymer transition at physiological ionic strength is shifted from pH 5.0 to pH 7.4. We thereby show that compensating attractive non-covalent interactions and hydrophobic effects with repulsive electrostatic forces, a concept we refer to as frustrated growth, is a sensitive tool in order to manipulate one-dimensional supramolecular polymerisation processes in water.
authors.affiliation: Organic Chemistry Institute, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster, Corrensstrasse 40, 48149 Münster, Germany. p.besenius@uni-muenster.de.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Appel
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tacke
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klingauf
authors.forename: Pol
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Besenius
mesh_terms: D050091:Dendrimers / Q000737:chemistry*; D054879:Halogenation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D058105:Polymerization; D055672:Static Electricity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D050091:Dendrimers; D010455:Peptides; D014867:Water