Self-assembling amphiphilic Janus dendrimers: mesomorphic properties and aggregation in water

Abstract

The self-assembly behaviour both in bulk and in water of amphiphilic dendrimeric derivatives based on bis-MPA is the central theme of this article. The designed molecules possess two parts with different polarity; this feature is the key factor that forces their self-assembly in water into supramolecular architectures, due to hydrophobic interactions between the lipophilic fractions of the molecules, and the appearance of mesomorphic order in bulk in response to a variation of temperature (thermotropic liquid crystals). The effects provoked by the hydrophilic/lipophilic balance of the molecule were studied varying the generation of the corresponding dendrons and combining them via CuAAC click chemistry in order to obtain symmetrical and unsymmetrical final Janus dendrimers. The ability of the aggregates formed in water to encapsulate hydrophobic drugs has also been explored.