DNA-Templated Assembly of Multichromophore Aggregates and Nanoparticle Wires

这项研究的重点涉及使用DNA的小沟作为模板的螺旋组装体的合成。 花青的螺旋聚集体将被组装，导致右手螺旋形态和具有有趣的光学性质的材料。 染料上的中性取代基将提供蓝移的吸收光谱和猝灭的荧光内的聚集体，而阳离子取代将产生聚集体与红移的吸收光谱和强烈的荧光。 聚集体结构将通过光学和高分辨率NMR光谱进行表征。 小沟结合配体也将用于将金纳米颗粒非共价连接到DNA。 通过使用重复的DNA序列，多个纳米颗粒将以线性方式沿着DNA沿着组装，有效地创建1-D阵列或线。 银沉积可以用来沿着DNA-金模板形成一条连续的银金属线。卡内基梅隆大学化学系的阿米蒂奇说。 阿米蒂奇博士将把他的工作重点放在使用DNA作为有机染料和无机纳米粒子螺旋组装合成的支架上。 所得材料可分别具有非线性光学性质或提供导电线。 该项目还为本科生和研究生的跨学科培训提供了一个极好的场所，该项目在吸收代表性不足的少数民族学生方面非常成功。

The focus of this research involves the use of the minor groove of DNA as a template for the synthesis of helical assemblies. Helical aggregates of cyanines will be assembled, leading to right-handed helical morphology and materials with interesting optical properties. Neutral substituents on the dye will afford blue-shifted absorption spectra and quenched fluorescence within the aggregate while cationic substitution will yield aggregates with red-shifted absorption spectra and intense fluorescence. The aggregate structures will be characterized by optical and high-resolution NMR spectroscopies. Minor groove binding ligands will also be used to noncovalently link gold nanoparticles to DNA. By using repetitive DNA sequences, multiple nanoparticles will be assembled in a linear fashion along the DNA, effectively creating a 1-D array, or wire. Silver deposition can be used to form a continuous wire of silver metal along the DNA-gold template.With this award, the Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Dr. Bruce A. Armitage of the Department of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. Armitage will focus his work on using DNA as a scaffold for the synthesis of helical assemblies of organic dyes and inorganic nanoparticles. The resultant materials could have nonlinear optical properties or afford conductive wires, respectively. The project also provides an excellent venue for the interdisciplinary training of undergraduate and graduate students and the project has been very successful at including underrepresented minority students.