Structural characterization of organic multilayers on silicon(111) formed by immobilization of molecular films on functionalized Si-C linked monolayers.

Silicon(111)-H surfaces were derivatized with omega-functionalized alkenes in UV-mediated and thermal hydrosilylation reactions to give Si-C linked monolayers. Additional molecular layers of organic compounds were coupled either directly or via linker molecules to the functionalized alkyl monolayers. In the first instance, amino-terminated monolayers were prepared from a tert-butoxycarbonyl-protected omega-aminoalkene followed by removal of the protecting group.

Electric field effects in proteins in membranes.

Both the organization and function of protein nanostructures in membranes are related to the substructural properties of the lipid portion of the membrane. Potential differences that are established across the membrane and generate electric fields in these very thin portions are shown to modulate the organizational and functional properties of the protein modules. Many protein modules also have nonisotropic distributions of charged sites, including configurations in which there are regions containing predominantly positive fixed charges, juxtaposed with adjacent regions containing predominantly negative fixed charges.