title: Hierarchical Self-Assembly of a Renewable Nanosized Pentacyclic Dihydroxy-triterpenoid Betulin Yielding Flower-Like Architectures.
abstract: Betulin, a naturally occurring 6-6-6-6-5 pentacyclic dihydroxy-triterpenoid, is extractable from the bark of white birch (Betula papyrifera). We report the first self-assembly properties of betulin in different liquids. The molecule spontaneously self-assembled in different media, yielding flower-like architectures of nano- to micrometers diameters via the formation of fibrillar networks. The self-assemblies have been characterized by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, FTIR, and X-ray diffraction studies. The porous microstructure of the self-assemblies has been utilized for the entrapment of fluorophore such as rhodamine-B and the anticancer drug doxorubicin. Moreover, the removal of toxic dyes such as rhodamine 6G, crystal violet, methylene blue, and cresol red has also been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Vidyasagar University , Midnapore 721102, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Braja Gopal
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Bag
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, Vidyasagar University , Midnapore 721102, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Shib Shankar
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Dash
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D003500:Cyclization; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D015394:Molecular Structure; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016062:Porosity; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D014315:Triterpenes; D014867:Water; C002503:betulin; D000094062:Betulinic Acid