The degree of order of solubilized molecules and ions in oriented lyomesophases has been determined at specifically deuterated C—D bond axes from the quadrupole splitting of the deuterium magnetic resonance. Mixtures at low concentration of specifically deuterated alkanes, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and carboxylates of different chain length have been observed in host cationic and anionic lyomesophases. The degree of order of a given C—D position in alcohols increases strongly with chain length up to a length comparable with the host detergent. A broad series of carboxylic acids and carboxylate ions from C2 to C16 have been deuterated in the α position. The α-C—D bond axis in the solubilisate increases in order with chain length, the anion having lower order than the parent acid. An accurately linear increase in the degree of order of the α position is observed for intermediate chain lengths. At chain lengths approximately equal to the host chain lengths the α position reaches a limiting value in the degree of order and further segments do not influence the order. At short chain lengths the degree of order is less than that predicted from extrapolation of order in the linear region. This has been interpreted in terms of distribution into the aqueous compartment by the solubilisates of short chain length. Acetic acid and the acetate, propionate, butanoate, and pentanoate ions spend an appreciable amount of time in the aqueous region. An estimate has been made of these distributions based on reasonable assumptions.
Blocking the tunnel: engineering of Candida rugosa lipase mutants with short chain length specificity