1,3-dipolar cycloadditions of azides and alkynes: a universal ligation tool in polymer and materials science.

In 2001, Sharpless and co-workers introduced "click" chemistry, a new approach in organic synthesis that involves a handful of almost perfect chemical reactions. Among these carefully selected reactions, Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloadditions were shown to be the most effective and versatile and thus became the prime example of click chemistry. Hence, these long-neglected reactions were suddenly re-established in organic synthesis and, in particular, have gained popularity in materials science.

Point by point comparison of two thermosensitive polymers exhibiting a similar LCST: is the age of poly(NIPAM) over?

The present Communication compares the thermosensitivity in dilute aqueous solutions of well-defined copolymers composed of 95% of 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MEO2MA) and 5% of oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA, Mn = 475 g.mol-1) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) samples having similar degrees of polymerization and chain-ends. The thermoresponsive behavior of P(MEO2MA-co-OEGMA) was found to be overall comparable, and in some cases, superior to PNIPAM.

H-bonding-directed self-assembly of synthetic copolymers containing nucleobases: organization and colloidal fusion in a noncompetitive solvent.

The self-organization of random copolymers composed of a nucleobase monomer (either 1-(4-vinylbenzyl)thymine or 9-(4-vinylbenzyl)adenine) and dodecyl methacrylate (DMA) was studied in dilute chloroform solutions. The balance between the molar fractions of the nucleobase monomer (leading to intermolecular H-bonding) and DMA (soluble moiety in chloroform) in the polymer chains was found to be the parameter that principally influences the self-organization. DMA-rich copolymers are molecularly soluble in chloroform, whereas nucleobase-rich copolymers are insoluble in this solvent.

Thermally stable holographic surface relief gratings and switchable optical anisotropy in films of an azobenzene-containing polyelectrolyte.

In a search for effective polymer film material for holographic surface patterning, commercially available azobenzene polyelectrolyte has been employed. Films of good optical quality in a wide range of thickness were produced. Optical dichroism up to 0.

Highly ordered monodomain ionic self-assembled liquid-crystalline materials.

Liquid-crystalline properties of the ionic self assembled complex benzenehexacarboxylic- (didodecyltrimethylammonium)6 [BHC- (C12D)6] were investigated by polarizing microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray analysis, null ellipsometry, UV and IR spectroscopy. The complex exhibits a bilayer smectic Sm- A2 liquid-crystalline phase and aligns spontaneously. Alignment properties do not depend on the hydrophobic or hydrophilic treatment of the surfaces.

Kinetic versus thermodynamic control during the formation of [2]rotaxanes by a dynamic template-directed clipping process.

A template-directed dynamic clipping procedure has generated a library of nine [2]rotaxanes that have been formed from three dialkylammonium salts-acting as the dumbbell-shaped components-and three dynamic, imino bond-containing, [24]crown-8-like macrocycles-acting as the ring-shaped components-which are themselves assembled from three dialdehydes and one diamine. The rates of formation of these [2]rotaxanes differ dramatically, from minutes to days depending on the choice of dialkylammonium ion and dialdehyde, as do their thermodynamic stabilities. Generally, [2]rotaxanes formed by using 2,6-diformylpyridine as the dialdehyde component, or bis(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzyl)ammonium hexafluorophosphate as the dumbbell-shaped component, assembled the most rapidly.

Nanoparticles of a polyelectrolyte-fatty acid complex: carriers for Q10 and triiodothyronine.

Poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) was used for the complexation of dodecanoic acid (C12) resulting in a poly(ethylene imine) dodecanoate complex (PEI-C12) with a lamellar nanostructure and a repeat unit of 2.9 nm. PEI-C12 was doped with coenzyme Q10 and the hormone triiodothyronine as typical hydrophobic and pharmacological active compounds, respectively.