Formation of vesicular structures through the self-assembly of a flexible bis-zwitterion in dimethyl sulfoxide

Abstract

Small molecule, large structures: The connection of two zwitterionic binding motifs with a lipophilic alkyl linker results in an amphiphilic bis-zwitterion, which forms self-assembled vesicles even in polar solutions. The data suggest that two bis-zwitterions dimerize and then further aggregate to form vesicles, most likely driven by H-bonding and van der Waals interactions between the linkers. (Figure Presented). © 2007 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.