Synthesis and characterization of &pi;-conjugated peptide-based supramolecular materials

Wall, Brian D.; Tovar, John D.

doi:10.1351/PAC-CON-11-10-24

Pure Appl. Chem., 2012, Vol. 84, No. 4, pp. 1039-1045

http://dx.doi.org/10.1351/PAC-CON-11-10-24

Published online 2012-03-03

Synthesis and characterization of π-conjugated peptide-based supramolecular materials

Brian D. Wall¹ and John D. Tovar^1,2*

¹ Department of Chemistry, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
² Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA

Abstract: We describe the synthesis, characterization, and fabrication of bioelectronic materials derived from small oligopeptides containing π-conjugated subunits directly embedded into peptide backbones. The rapid incorporation of π-conjugated subunits directly into peptide backbones was accomplished through an on-resin dimerization procedure recently explored in our research. We investigated these peptides’ abilities to self-assemble in aqueous environments into 1D nanostructures with intimate π–π interactions. Finally, we discuss a simple processing method to develop aligned networks of 1D π-conjugated peptide nanostructures where the resulting electronic and photophysical properties are altered as a direct impact of the aligned π-conjugated network.