During the last ten years, our research group has been applying metal-mediated self-assembly processes to the construction of multiporphyrin functional assemblies. The construction of well-defined and discrete supramolecular structures resulting from self-assembly requires the use of multiple and separated connections operating in one or more closed loops. Consequently, the great majority of the multiporphyrin assemblies that we have prepared are of cyclic nature. We have placed special emphasis not only on the characterization in solution of the formed assemblies but also on the thermodynamic characterization of the assembly process and in the assessment of cooperativity. Finally, we also present examples in which functionality has been derived from the three-dimensional structures of multicomponent assemblies.
Self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers containing cholesteryl groups has proved to be attractive in the field of nanotechnology research. Some cholesterol derivatives are known to form ordered structures which indicate thermotropic and lyotropic liquid-crystalline, monolayers, multilayers, micelles, and liposomes. This paper involves the synthesis and characterization of various kinds of amphiphilic polymers bearing cholesteryl moieties.
Characterization of Split Fluorescent Protein Variants and Quantitative Analyses of Their Self-Assembly Process