Temperature sensitivity trends and multi-stimuli sensitive behavior in amphiphilic oligomers.

ABSTRACT: A series of oligomers, containing oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) moieties, with the same composition of amphiphilic functionalities has been designed, synthesized, and characterized on the basis of their temperature-sensitive behavior. The non-covalent amphiphilic aggregates, formed from these molecules, influence their temperature sensitivity. Covalent tethering of the amphiphilic units also has a significant influence on their temperature sensitivity. The lower critical solution temperatures of these oligomers show increasingly sharp transitions with increasing numbers of OEG functional groups, indicating enhanced cooperativity in dehydration of the OEG moieties when they are covalently tethered. These molecules were also engineered to be concurrently sensitive to enzymatic reaction and pH

SUBMITTER: Wang F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3164300 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature