Lone-Pair-Induced Topicity Observed in Macrobicyclic Tetra-thia Lactams and Cryptands: Synthesis, Spectral Identification, and Computational Assessment.

The synthesis of a rigid macrobicyclic N,S lactam L1 and a topologically favored in/in N,S cryptand L2 are reported with X-ray structure analysis, dynamic correlation NMR spectroscopy, and computational analysis. Lactam L1 exhibits two distinct rotameric conformations (plus their enantiomeric counterparts) at 25 °C, as confirmed via NMR spectroscopy and computational analysis. Coalescence of the resonances of L1 was observed at 115 °C, allowing for complete nuclei to frequency correlation. Combining computational investigations with experimental data, topological equilibria and relative energies/strain relating to the perturbation of the pore were determined. Due to the increased conformational strain of the N2S2 template, the nitrogen lone pairs in L2 elicit a unique transannular interaction, resulting in a thermodynamically favored in/in nephroidal racemate. The combination of preferred topology, steric relief, and electronic localization of L2 induces a chiral environment imparted through the amine with a computed inversion barrier of 10.3 kcal mol-1.

Interaction of N-myristoylethanolamine with cholesterol investigated in a Langmuir film at the air-water interface.

The dramatic increase in the content of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) having different acyl chains in various tissues when subjected to stress has resulted in significant interest in investigations on these molecules. Previous studies suggested that N-myristoylethanolamine (NMEA) and cholesterol interact to form a 1:1 (mol/mol) complex. In studies reported here, pressure-area isotherms of Langmuir films at the air-water interface have shown that at low fractions of cholesterol, the average area per molecule is lower than that predicted for ideal mixing, whereas at high cholesterol content the observed molecular area is higher, with a cross-over point at the equimolar composition. A plausible model that can explain these observations is the following: addition of small amounts of cholesterol to NMEA results in a reorientation of the NMEA molecules from the tilted disposition in the crystalline state to the vertical and stabilization of the intermolecular interactions, leading to the formation of a compact monolayer film, whereas at the other end of the composition diagram, addition of small amounts of NMEA to cholesterol leads to a tilting of the cholesterol molecules resulting in an increase in the average area per molecule. In Brewster angle microscopy experiments, a stable and bright homogeneous condensed phase was observed at a relatively low applied pressure of 2 mN.m(-1) for the NMEA:Chol. (1:1, mol/mol) mixture, whereas all other samples required significantly higher pressures (>10 mN.m(-1)) to form a homogeneous condensed phase. These observations are consistent with the formation of a 1:1 stoichiometric complex between NMEA and cholesterol and suggest that increase in the content of NAEs under stress may modulate the composition and dynamics of lipid rafts in biological membranes, resulting in alterations in signaling events involving them, which may be relevant to the putative cytoprotective and stress-combating ability of NAEs.

Polyelectrolyte templating strategy for the fabrication of multilayer hemicyanine Langmuir-Blodgett films showing enhanced and stable second harmonic generation.

Polyelectrolyte templating effectively suppresses the aggregation of cationic hemicyanine-based amphiphiles in monolayer Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films leading to enhanced and stable optical second harmonic generation (SHG). The current study explores the impact of different polyelectrolytes (salts of poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid), deoxyribonucleic acid, and carboxymethylcellulose) on the mode of formation of multilayer LB films of the hemicyanine amphiphile and their SHG response. Pressure-area isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy reveal the impact of the polyelectrolyte complexation on the Langmuir films. Transfer ratios observed during film deposition, supported by electronic absorption spectra and atomic force microscope images of the multilayer LB films, suggest that the polyanions influence the deposition sequence, leading to significant variations in the SHG. Carboxymethylcellulose is identified as an optimal template that induces favorable z-type deposition, leading to the formation of stable multilayer films. These films exhibit the expected quadratic increase of SHG with the extent of deposition; significantly the film response is very stable under extended laser irradiation. It is proposed that structural adjustments of the sandwiched polymer layer lead to the observed deposition sequence and film stability. Polyelectrolyte templating is demonstrated to be a simple and effective strategy for the fabrication of multilayer LB films to elicit efficient quadratic nonlinear optical response.

Polyelectrolyte templated polymerization in langmuir films: nanoscopic control of polymer chain organization.

Polyelectrolytes introduced in the aqueous subphase are shown to have a profound impact on the kinetics of polymerization of N-octadecylaniline at the air/water interface. This can be attributed to changes effected in molecular organization and reorientation behavior in the Langmuir film. The polyelectrolyte templates lead to considerable modification of the morphology of the monomer and polymer Langmuir films. Polyelectrolyte complexation is found to be an elegant and efficient methodology to achieve enhanced alignment of the polyaniline chains in the transferred Langmuir-Blodgett (Langmuir-Schafer) film.

N-Myristoylethanolamine-cholesterol (1:1) complex: first evidence from differential scanning calorimetry, fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry and computational modelling.

The interaction of N-myristoylethanolamine (NMEA) with cholesterol is investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fast-atom-bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS) and computational modelling. Addition of cholesterol to NMEA leads to a new phase transition at 55 degrees C besides the chain-melting transition of NMEA at 72.5 degrees C. The enthalpy of the new transition increases with cholesterol content up to 50 mol%, but decreases thereafter, vanishing at 80 mol%. The enthalpy of the chain-melting transition of NMEA decreases with an increase in cholesterol; the transition disappears at 50 mol%. FAB-MS spectra of mixtures of NMEA and cholesterol provide clear signatures of the formation of ([NMEA+cholesterol]+) ([NMEA+cholesterol+Na]+). These results are consistent with the formation of a 1:1 complex between NMEA and cholesterol. Molecular modelling studies support this experimental finding and provide a plausible structural model for the complex, which highlights multiple H-bond interactions between the hydroxy group of cholesterol and the hydroxy and carbonyl groups of NMEA besides appreciable dispersion interaction between the hydrocarbon domains of the two molecules.