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Published on: February 11, 2020
Trimethylammonium-Substituted Amphiphilic Pillar[n]arene Channels for Selective Water Permeation
Dan-Dan Su1, Tan-Hao Shi2, Tomoki Ogoshi2,3
1Institut Européen des Membranes, University of Montpellier, Adaptive Supramolecular Nanosystems Group, ENSCM-CNRS, UMR5635, Place E. Bataillon CC047, Montpellier 34095, France.
Abstract:
Artificial water channels (AWCs) are synthetic systems biomimicking natural aquaporins (AQPs) that selectively transport water while rejecting ions. Amphiphilic rim-differentiated pillar[5]arenes and pillar[6]arenes, featuring cationic methylammonium and alkyl substituents on opposite rims, spontaneously assemble into two-dimensional channels with tunable pore sizes and channel lengths. Herein, we considered the alkyl chains (butyl-C4 and decatyl-C10) of these channels in relation to membrane partitioning and investigated the potential structure-activity relationships within the lipid bilayer. A synergistic effect of a large pore and favorable lipophilicity led to the highest water permeation (∼1 × 108 water molecules per channel per second) for AP-P6A-C10, as well as ion rejection. The present channels may be regarded as a rare biomimetic example of artificial channels that preferentially transport water while presenting low proton or ion transport activity.
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