Volume 48, Issue 39 pp. 7246-7250
Communication

Dynamic Motion in Crown Ether Dendrimer Complexes: A “Spacewalk” on the Molecular Scale

Henrik D. F. Winkler

Henrik D. F. Winkler

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takusstrasse 3, 14195 Berlin (Germany), Fax: (+49) 30-898-55817 http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/∼schalley

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Dominik P. Weimann

Dominik P. Weimann

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takusstrasse 3, 14195 Berlin (Germany), Fax: (+49) 30-898-55817 http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/∼schalley

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Andreas Springer Dr.

Andreas Springer Dr.

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takusstrasse 3, 14195 Berlin (Germany), Fax: (+49) 30-898-55817 http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/∼schalley

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Christoph A. Schalley Prof. Dr.

Christoph A. Schalley Prof. Dr.

Institut für Chemie und Biochemie, Freie Universität Berlin, Takusstrasse 3, 14195 Berlin (Germany), Fax: (+49) 30-898-55817 http://www.chemie.fu-berlin.de/∼schalley

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First published: 09 September 2009
Citations: 28

We thank Prof. Dr. Bert Meijer (TU Eindhoven) and Dr. Henk M. Janssen (SyMO-Chem B.V., Eindhoven) for providing the dendrimer samples used in this study. Funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Fonds der Chemischen Industrie is gratefully acknowledged.

Graphical Abstract

Walking on the edge: Mass spectrometry aided by H/D exchange experiments provides evidence for a surprisingly quick movement of [18]crown-6 units across the periphery of POMAM dendrimers (see picture). In the diluted gas phase, dissociation/reassociation equilibria do not play any role. The movement of the crown ether units resembles that of astronauts on the outside of a space station.

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