Well-defined aqueous nanoassemblies from amphiphilic meta-terphenyls and their guest incorporation

Chem Sci. 2015 Aug 1;6(8):5059-5062. doi: 10.1039/c5sc01545f. Epub 2015 Jun 9.

Abstract

Spherical molecular assemblies with diameters of ∼2 nm were quantitatively formed in water from new amphiphilic meta-terphenyls with two hydrophilic pendants at the central benzene ring. Whereas intermolecular interactions between small aromatic rings are typically weak, the obtained nanoassemblies are stable enough at wide-ranging concentrations and mostly remain intact even in the presence of similar nanoassemblies with polyaromatic frameworks. The nanoassembly with pentamethyl-substituted terminal benzene rings provides superior host capability for fluorescent dyes in water.