44 research outputs found
Functionalised Nanopores: Chemical and Biological Modifications
Nanopore technology has established itself as a powerful tool for single-molecule studies. By analysing changes in the ion current flowing through a single transmembrane channel, a wealth of molecular information can be elucidated. Early studies utilised nanopore technology for sensing applications, and subsequent developments have diversified its remit. Nanopores can be synthetic, solid-state, or biological in origin, but recent work has seen these boundaries blurred as hybrid functionalised pores emerge. The modification of existing pores and the construction of novel synthetic pores has been an enticing goal for creating systems with tailored properties and functionality. Here, we explore chemically functionalised biological pores and the bio-inspired functionalisation of solid-state pores, highlighting how the convergence of these domains provides enhanced functionality
Highlights from the 43rd EUCHEM Conference on Stereochemistry, Buergenstock, Switzerland, April 2008
Dissecting Solvent Effects on Hydrogen Bonding
The experimental isolation of Hâbond energetics from the typically dominant influence of the solvent remains challenging. Here we use synthetic molecular balances to quantify amine/amide Hâbonds in competitive solvents. Over 200 conformational free energy differences were determined using 24 Hâbonding balances in 9 solvents spanning a wide polarity range. The correlations between experimental interaction energies and gasâphase computed energies exhibited wild solventâdependent variation. However, excellent correlations were found between the same computed energies and the experimental data following empirical dissection of solvent effects using Hunter's α/ÎČ solvation model. In addition to facilitating the direct comparison of experimental and computational data, changes in the fitted donor and acceptor constants reveal the energetics of secondary local interactions such as competing Hâbonds