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Updated: May 9, 2026

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Control of size in losartan/copper(II) coordination complex hydrophobic precipitate
Ângelo M L Denadai1, Jeferson G Da Silva, Pedro P G Guimarães
1Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Campus Governador Valadares, Av. Dr. Raimundo Monteiro de Rezende, 330, Centro, 35010-177 Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil. angelomld@gmail.com
Abstract:
Reaction of highly soluble orally active, non-peptide antihypertensive drug losartan with copper(II) leads to the spontaneous formation of a very insoluble 2:1 covalent complex, which self assembles in a hydrophobic supramolecular structure of nanometric dimensions. Thermal analysis showed that Los/Cu(II) complex presents intermediate stability in comparison with its precursors KLos and Cu(OAc)2·H2O. Isothermal titration calorimetry indicated complexation to be a stepwise process, driven by enthalpy and entropy. Zeta potential and DLS measurements showed that it is possible to control the size and charge of nanoprecipitates by adjusting the relative concentration of Los(-) and Cu(II).
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