Low Molecular Mass Gelators of Organic Liquids and the Properties of Their Gels

In this review we intend to provide a relatively comprehensive summary of the work of supramolecular hydrogelators after 2004 and to put emphasis particularly on the applications of supramolecular hydrogels/hydrogelators as molecular biomaterials. After a brief introduction of methods for generating supramolecular hydrogels, we discuss supramolecular hydrogelators on the basis of their categories, such as small organic molecules, coordination complexes, peptides, nucleobases, and saccharides. Following molecular design, we focus on various potential applications of supramolecular hydrogels as molecular biomaterials, classified by their applications in cell cultures, tissue engineering, cell behavior, imaging, and unique applications of hydrogelators. Particularly, we discuss the applications of supramolecular hydrogelators after they form supramolecular assemblies but prior to reaching the critical gelation concentration because this subject is less explored but may hold equally great promise for helping ...

Supramolecular Hydrogelators and Hydrogels: From Soft Matter to Molecular Biomaterials

In this review, we describe the recent advances in supramolecular helical assemblies formed from chiral and achiral small molecules, oligomers (foldamers), and helical and nonhelical polymers from the viewpoints of their formations with unique chiral phenomena, such as amplification of chirality during the dynamic helically assembled processes, properties, and specific functionalities, some of which have not been observed in or achieved by biological systems. In addition, a brief historical overview of the helical assemblies of small molecules and remarkable progress in the synthesis of single-stranded and multistranded helical foldamers and polymers, their properties, structures, and functions, mainly since 2009, will also be described.

Supramolecular Helical Systems: Helical Assemblies of Small Molecules, Foldamers, and Polymers with Chiral Amplification and Their Functions

Recent developments in methods and instrumentation have contributed to major advances in our understanding of the fine structure of amylose and amylopectin. The structure of the starch granule slowly unravels with new insight into key structural features. Following a brief presentation of the structural features common to all starches, the most recent findings for the structure of amylose and amylopectin are reported. The organization of different types of chains in amylopectin is discussed with a critical review of the 'cluster' model leading to the presentation of alternative models. The locations of molecular components in the starch granule are described according to a progress structural order. The description of the crystalline components is followed by a presentation of their supramolecular arrangements. The crystalline components comprise platelet nanocrystals which have already been identified and characterized, and other less well characterized 'blocklet components'. The location and state of amylose within the granule is also presented. This comprehensive review aims at distinguishing between those structural features that have received widespread acceptance and those that are still under debate, with the ambition of being educational and to provide stimulation for further fundamental investigation into the starch granule as a macromolecular assembly.

The molecular structures of starch components and their contribution to the architecture of starch granules: A comprehensive review

Lipid intermolecular hydrogen bonding: influence on structural organization and membrane function.

Phosphorolytic syntheses with di-, oligo- and multi-functional primers

Influence of chain length of short monodisperse amyloses on the formation of A- and B-type X-ray diffraction patterns

Amphiphilic properties of synthetic glycolipids based on amide linkages. I: Electron microscopic studies on aqueous gels

Amphiphilic properties of synthetic glycolipids based on amide linkages. II. Crystal and molecular structure of N-(n-octyl)-D-gluconamide, an amphiphilic molecule in head-to-tail packing mode

The coupling of glucose and maltooligomers by hydrazone linkage to carriers by means of acid hydrazide groups was investigated. The following carriers were used: (1) linear polymers such as (a) poly(ethylene glycol) with carboxymethyl (CM) end groups, (b) CM-amylose and CM-cellulose, 6-COOH amylose and 6-COOH cellulose, pectic acid, alginic acid, poly(acrylic acid); (2) multifunctional centers such as (c) CM-cyclodextrin, 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, 1,3,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylic acid, crosslinked poly(acrylamide) (BIO-GEL). The hydrazone linkage which is formed preferably in borate buffer at pH 8,5 was stable above pH 6 and could be split by mild acid treatment at pH 4. Maltooligomeric grafts of degree of polymerization DP ≧ 4 may be extended enzymatically by phosphorolytic synthesis to amylose chains of variable length. Primer activity of the bound maltooligomers for phosphorylase was obviously not hindered by the hydrazone linkage, by free hydrazide groups, or by synthetic polymers as carriers. ABA-Block copolymers may be derived from(a), comb-like molecules from (b), and different kinds of star-like molecules from (c).

Beate Pfannemüller

Papers

Phosphorolytic syntheses with di-, oligo- and multi-functional primers

Influence of chain length of short monodisperse amyloses on the formation of A- and B-type X-ray diffraction patterns

Amphiphilic properties of synthetic glycolipids based on amide linkages. I: Electron microscopic studies on aqueous gels

Amphiphilic properties of synthetic glycolipids based on amide linkages. II. Crystal and molecular structure of N-(n-octyl)-D-gluconamide, an amphiphilic molecule in head-to-tail packing mode

Chemische synthese verzweigter polysaccharide, 5. Kopplung von oligosacchariden und amylose an verschiedene träger durch hydrazonbindung