Monolayer diacetylene lipid

Figure 2. Simplified illustration of the diacetylenic lipid monolayers before and after polymerization. Note that upon polymerization new bond formation occurs.

Figure 9. VIS Multiplot of absorbance of a monolayer of diacetylene lipid (5) vs. polymerization time. Constant surface pressure 10 mN m l 20°C N2 atmosphere.

Domain formation in binary mixtures of a polymerizable lipid and non-polymerizable lipid is well established for diacetylenic lipids. The rigid diacetylenic unit facilitates the formation of enriched domains in the condensed phase of monolayers or the solid-analogous phase of bilayers. Since diacetylenes polymerize most readily in solid-like states, most studies have focused on conditions that favor domain formation. Only in the case of a mixture of a charged diacetylenic lipid and a zwitterionic PC was phase separation not observed. Ringsdorf and coworkers first reported the polymerization of a phase-separated two-dimensional assembly in 1981 [33], Monolayer films were prepared from mixtures consisting of a diacetylenicPC (6) (Fig. 5) and a nonpolymerizable distearoyl PE (DSPE). 

Condensed monolayer films of pure 6 polymerized rapidly, as did mixed 6/DSPE films of up to 75% DSPE, provided the monolayers were in the condensed state [33], In the liquid-expanded state, polymerization did not occur. In the condensed state, lateral diffusion of individual lipids within the monolayer is severely restricted compared to the liquid-like state. This precludes initiation of polymerization by diffusive encounter between excited-state and ground-state diacetylene lipids. In order for polymerization to occur in the condensed state, the film must be separated into domains consisting of either pure 6 or pure DSPE. A demonstration that the rates of photopolymerization for pure 6 and mixed 6/DSPE monolayers are equal would be a more stringent test for separate domains of the lipids, but no kinetic data have been reported for this system. 

Aqueous dispersions of polymerizable lipids and surfactants can be polymerized by UV irradiation (Fig. 18). In the case of diacetylenic lipids the transition from monomeric to polymeric bilayers can be observed visually and spectroscopically. This was first discussed by Hub, 9) and Chapman 20). As in monomolecular layers (3.2.2) short irradiation brings about the blue conformation of the poly(diacetylene) chain. In contrast, upon prolonged irradiation or upon heating blue vesicles above the phase transition temperature of the monomeric hydrated lipid the red form of the polymer is formed 23,120). The visible spectra of the red form in monolayers and liposomes are qualitatively identical (Fig. 19). 

Due to the topochemical restrictions of diacetylene polymerization, diacetylenic lipids are solely polymerizable in the solid—analogous phase. During the polyreaction an area contraction occurs leading to a denser packing of the alkyl chains. In addition to surface pressure/area isotherms the polymerization behavior of diacetylenic lipids containing mixed films give information about the miscibility of the components forming the monolayer ... 

Fig. 6. A lipid monolayer with the diacetylene functionalities properly oriented for a topochemically controlled polymerization.

The orientation of the monomer units during pol3nneri-zation of the monolayer remains unchanged the reaction results in a highly oriented stable film. UV-initiated monolayer pol mierization has been intensively studied in recent years (12-15), Normally, the reactions involve contraction of the film the surface pressure-area diagrams of the polymers exhibit a smaller occupied area, a steeper slope, and a higher collapse pressure (13). Hence, the polyreaction can be followed by measuring the film contraction V9. time at constant surface pressure as shown in fig, 5 for the diacetylene lipid (12),... 

The polymers are commonly produced by first spreading the film and then inducing the reaction process, rather than by spreading a layer of previously polymerized material. Many studies have been carried out on the variation of reaction kinetics with monolayer state. For example, certain diacetylenic lipids have been shown to undergo polymerization... 

The extensive studies of the behavior of mixed monolayers or bilayers of di-acetylenic lipids and other amphiphiles parallel to some degree the studies of dienoyl-substituted amphiphiles. Since the dienoyl lipids do not contain a rigid diacetylenic group in the middle of the hydrophobic chains, they tend to be miscible with other lipids over a wide range of temperatures and compositions. In order to decrease the lipid miscibility of certain dienoyl amphiphiles, Ringsdorf and coworkers utilized the well-known insolubility of hydrocarbons and fluorocarbons. Thus two amphiphiles were prepared, one with hydrocarbon chains and the other with fluorocarbon chains, in order to reduce their ability to mix with one another in the bilayer. Of course it is necessary to demonstrate that the lipids form a mixed lipid bilayer rather than independent structures. Elbert et al. used freeze fracture electron microscopy to demonstrate that a molar mixture of 95% DM PC and 5% of a fluorinated amphiphile formed phase-separated mixed bilayers [39]. Electron micrographs showed extensive regions of the ripple phase (Pb phase) of the DM PC and occasional smooth patches that were attributed to the fluorinated lipid. In some instances it is possible to... 

All four types of polymerizable lipids shown in Fig. 4 have been realized synthetically. In this context, one need not attempt to reproduce mother nature slavishly (Fendler 8)). Kunitake 9) was able to show that simple molecules like dialkyldimethyl-ammonium salts also form bilayer assemblies. Fuhrhop 10) and Kunitake U) could accomplish the formation of monolayer liposomes with molecules containing only one alkyl chain and two hydrophilic head groups. Acryloylic and methacryloylic groups (type a and d, Table 1), as well as diacetylenic, butadienic, vinylic and maleic acid groups (type b and c), have been used as polymerizable moieties. A compilation of amphiphilic, photopolymerizable molecules is given in Table 1. 

Since cholesterol is an important component of many biological membranes mixtures of polymerizable lipids with this sterol are of great interest. In mixed monolayers of natural lipids with cholesterol a pronounced condensation effect , i.e. a reduction of the mean area per molecule of phospholipid is observed68. This influence of cholesterol on diacetylenic lecithin (18, n = 12), however, is not very significant (Fig. 32). Photopolymerization indicates phase separation in this system. Apparently due to the large hydrophobic interactions between the long hydrocarbon chains of... 

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