Monolayer protected gold nanoparticles with metal-ion binding sites: functional systems for chemosensing applications.

In this review we describe the use of monolayer protected gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) for chemosensing applications. The attention is focused on a special subclass of Au NPs, namely those that contain binding sites for metal ions in the monolayer. It will be shown that these systems are very well-equipped for metal ion sensing as the complexation of the metal ions can affect the properties of the system in many ways leading to detectable output signals even at very low analyte concentrations. In addition, the presence of metal ions in the monolayer themselves can serve as recognition units for the highly selective interaction with small organic molecules or biomacromolecules. Key examples will be discussed that underscore the attractive properties and potential of this class of Au NPs as components of chemosensing assays.

Amplification of chirality: the "sergeants and soldiers" principle applied to dynamic hydrogen-bonded assemblies.

The amplification of supramolecular chirality has been studied in dynamic chiral hydrogen-bonded assemblies 1(3).(CA)(6) using "Sergeants and Soldiers" experiments. Previously, we have shown that chiral centers present in either the dimelamine component 1 or the cyanurate component CA quantitatively induce one handedness (M or P) in the assembly. This offers the possibility to study the amplification of chirality under two different kinetic regimes. When chiral dimelamines 1 are used, the exchange of chiral components and (M/P)-interconversion, i.e., interconversion between the (M)- and (P)-isomers of assembly 1(3).(CA)(6), take place via identical pathways (condition A). When chiral cyanurates CA are used, the exchange of chiral components occurs much faster than (M/P)-interconversion (condition B). Experimentally, a much stronger chiral amplification is observed under condition B. For example, the observed chiral amplification for a mixture of chiral and achiral components (40:60) is 46% under condition B and 32% under condition A. Kinetic models were developed to fit the experimental data and to simulate chiral amplification in dynamic systems in general. These simulations show that it is theoretically possible that the diastereomeric excess in a dynamic system is more than 99% with less than 1% chiral component present!

Chiral exciton coupling of merocyanine dyes within a well defined hydrogen-bonded assembly.

Multichromophoric hydrogen-bonded assemblies 1(3) small middle dot(BAR)(6) are studied that bear a remarkably close resemblance to commelinin, a naturally occurring assembly responsible for an intense blue color of flowers. The incorporated chromophores exhibit a hypsochromic shift in the UV/visible (Vis) absorption maximum (Delta lambda(max) = 14 nm) compared with the free chromophores. In addition, the chiroptical properties of incorporated chromophores can be rationally controlled by changing the supramolecular chirality of the assembly. These properties have been used to study the stability of this type of assembly with UV and CD spectroscopy at concentrations far below the NMR sensitivity threshold (10(-4) M). The determined C(50%) values of 2-3 microM in benzene show the extremely high stability of these hydrogen-bonded assemblies.

Thermodynamic stabilities of linear and crinkled tapes and cyclic rosettes in melamine--cyanurate assemblies: a model description.

In this paper we describe model calculations for the self-assembly of N,N-disubstituted melamines 1 and N-substituted cyanuric acid or 5,5-disubstituted barbituric acid derivatives 2 into linear or crinkled tapes and cyclic rosettes via cooperative hydrogen bond formation. The model description considers all possible stereoisomeric tape structures consisting of two to eight different components (270 different species in total) and one cyclic hexameric rosette structure. Furthermore, eight steric parameters (R(12)-R(28)) are included that represent the different types of steric interactions within the assemblies. Most importantly, the model calculations clearly show that the tape/rosette ratio is very sensitive to changes in parameters that directly affect the internal energy of the rosette structure. In this respect, three parameters have been characterized, i.e., the basic equilibrium constant K(0) for the bimolecular association of a melamine and cyanurate, the equilibrium constant K(r)/K(0) for the cyclization of a linear hexamer, and the parameter R(12)-a(Z)b, representing attractive or repulsive interactions between adjacent melamine and cyanurate moieties. For example, an increase in K(0) from 100 to 10,000 M(-1) ([A](0) = [B](0) = 10 mM, K(r) = 0.01 M) or in K(r) from 0.001 to 0.1 M ([A](0) = [B](0) = 10 mM, K(0) = 1000 M(-1)) raises the concentration of the rosette from <5 to approximately 90% or from approximately 10 to approximately 85%, respectively. Similarly, a change in R(12)-a(Z)b from 1.0 (no repulsive or attractive interactions) to 1.5 (slight attractive interaction) raises the rosette fraction of the mixture from 25% to 45%. In sharp contrast to this, the model calculations show that parameters that only affect the internal energy of the tapes (R(13)--R(28)) hardly change the tape/rosette ratio. For example, by changing R(13)-a(EE)a from 1.0 (no repulsive or attractive interactions) to 0.001 (maximum repulsion), the rosette fraction in the mixture changes by no more than 8%. Including all possible sterics that occur only in tapes (i.e., R(13)--R(28)), the maximum change in rosette fraction is no more than 16%. These predictions can be rationalized by considering that any change in the stability of the tapes only affects the rosette concentration by means of shifting the equilibrium between free 1 and 2 and the rosette. Since there are 270 different tapelike structures in equilibrium, this mixture represents the best buffer solution in the world. These model calculations seem to conflict with the concept of peripheral crowding as put forward by Whitesides et al., which states that bulky substituents on the periphery of the melamine (and cyanurate) components can be used to shift the tape/rosette equilibrium completely toward the rosette structure. Computer simulations (CHARMm 24.0) show that linear tapes with bulky substituents are severely distorted from planarity, while the corresponding rosette remains planar. Therefore, tapelike structures with bulky substituents are expected to have a much higher solubility than the corresponding rosettes, which can explain the observed crystal data.

An enantiomerically pure hydrogen-bonded assembly.

Chiral molecules have asymmetric arrangements of atoms, forming structures that are non-superposable mirror images of each other. Specific mirror images ('enantiomers') may be obtained either from enantiomerically pure precursor compounds, through enantioselective synthesis, or by resolution of so-called racemic mixtures of opposite enantiomers, provided that racemization (the spontaneous interconversion of enantiomers) is sufficiently slow. Non-covalent assemblies can similarly adopt chiral supramolecular structures, and if they are held together by relatively strong interactions, such as metal coordination, methods analogous to those used to obtain chiral molecules yield enantiomerically pure non-covalent products. But the resolution of assemblies formed through weak interactions, such as hydrogen-bonding, remains challenging, reflecting their lower stability and significantly higher susceptibility to racemization. Here we report the design of supramolecular structures from achiral calix[4]arene dimelamines and cyanurates, which form multiple cooperative hydrogen bonds that together provide sufficient stability to allow the isolation of enantiomerically pure assemblies. Our design strategy is based on a non-covalent 'chiral memory' concept, whereby we first use chiral barbiturates to induce the supramolecular chirality in a hydrogen-bonded assembly, and then substitute them by achiral cyanurates. The stability of the resultant chiral assemblies in benzene, a non-polar solvent not competing for hydrogen bonds, is manifested by a half-life to racemization of more than four days at room temperature.

Ag+ labeling: a convenient new tool for the characterization of hydrogen-bonded supramolecular assemblies by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Herein we describe our results on the characterization of a wide variety of different hydrogen-bonded assemblies by means of a novel matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) technique with Ag+ labeling. The labeling technique with Ag+ ions is extremely mild and provides a nondestructive way to generate charged assemblies that can be detected by mass spectrometry. Up to now more than 25 different single (1(3).2(3)), double (3(3).2(6)), and tetrarosettes (4(3).2(12)) have been successfully characterized by the use of this method. The success of the method entirely depends on the presence of a suitable binding site for the Ag+ ion. A variety of functionalities has been identified that provide strong binding sites for Ag+, either acting in a cooperative way (pi-arene and pi-alkene donor functionalities) or individually (cyano and crown ether functionalities). The method works well for assemblies with molecular weights between 2,000 and 8,000 Da, and most likely far beyond this limit.