Issue 11, 2012

Self-assembly of a triple-zwitterion in polar solutions: hierarchical formation of nanostructures

Abstract

The self-assembly of triple-zwitterion 1 in dimethyl sulfoxide is described. 1 forms dimers which polymerize upon increasing concentration into flexible twisted ribbons. These ribbons finally coil into soft nanospheres. The step-wise aggregation process is primarily based on the very strong tendency of the self-complementary guanidiniocarbonyl pyrrole carboxylate zwitterion to form H-bond assisted ion paired dimers (K > 1010 M−1 in DMSO). Using a variety of analytical techniques such as diffusion ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY NMR), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), as well as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular modelling for visualization, a consistent picture of the hierarchical self-assembly process of triple-zwitterion 1 in solution is obtained.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembly of a triple-zwitterion in polar solutions: hierarchical formation of nanostructures

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Nov 2011
Accepted
21 Dec 2011
First published
07 Feb 2012

Soft Matter, 2012,8, 3154-3162

Self-assembly of a triple-zwitterion in polar solutions: hierarchical formation of nanostructures

T. H. Rehm, F. Gröhn and C. Schmuck, Soft Matter, 2012, 8, 3154 DOI: 10.1039/C2SM07153C

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