Ion Pair Driven Self-Assembly of a Flexible Bis-Zwitterion in Polar Solution:  Formation of Discrete Nanometer-Sized Cyclic Dimers

• Published in: Journal of the American Chemical Society Vol. 128; no. 5; pp. 1430 - 1431
• Main Authors: Schmuck, Carsten, Rehm, Thomas, Gröhn, Franziska, Klein, Katja, Reinhold, Frank
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Chemical Society 08.02.2006; Amer Chemical Soc
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Physical Sciences; Science & Technology; Solution properties; Solutions; CHEMISTRY; POLYMERS; SPECTROSCOPY; ENCAPSULATION; COMPLEXES; MOLECULES; Five membered ring; Molecular flexibility; Nitrogen heterocycle; Zwitterion; Experimental study; Pyrrole derivatives; Organic solvent; Methyl sulfoxide; Solution structure; Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry; Molecular association; Molecular aggregation; Aqueous solution; Polar solution
• ISSN: 0002-7863; 1520-5126
• DOI: 10.1021/ja056465c

The self-complementary flexible bis-zwitterion 1 forms discrete nanometer-sized cyclic dimers via ion pair driven self-assembly even in polar solvents. The existence of such dimers was confirmed by DOSY NMR, FAB-MS, and scattering experiments (DLS, SANS) which all indicate the concentration-dependent formation of cyclic dimers with a hydrodynamic radius of r H ≈ 2.5 nm in solution.