2024
Hydantoin hexameric rosettes: harnessing H-bonds for supergelation and liquid crystals
Lucía González, Iván Marín, Rosa M. Tejedor, Joaquín Barberá, Pilar Romero, Alberto Concellón, Santiago Uriel and José L.Serrano.
Org. Chem. Front., 2024, 11, 735-745. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3QO01832F
Assessing the influence of small structural modifications in simple DNA-based nanostructures on their role as drug nanocarriers
Biomater. Sci., 2024. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3BM01987J
Novel aroma-based hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents for sustainable production of nanoemulsions by membrane emulsification for enhanced antifungal and antibacterial activities
S. Mondal, U. T. Syed, E. Pinto, I. Leonardo, P. Romero, F. B. Gaspar, M. T. Barreto Crespo, V. Sebastian, J. G. Crespo and C. Brazinha.
J. Clean. Prod., 2024, 444, 141167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.141167
Dynamically reconfigurable complex liquid crystal emulsions
Almudena Terrel, Silvia Del Moral, Alejandro Martínez-Bueno and Alberto Concellón.
Liq. Cryst., 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/02678292.2024.2325587
Columnar liquid crystals based on antiaromatic expanded porphyrins
Duong D. Nguyen, Jorge Labella, Juan Laforga-Martín, César L. Folcia, Josu Ortega, Tomás Torres, Teresa Sierra and Jonathan L. Sessler.
Chem.Commun., 2024. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3CC05414D
Tailoring the dielectric and ferroelectric response of mixtures containing bent-core liquid crystals through light-irradiation and composition
Jasmin Liebsch, Rebecca Strachan, Sivanujan Suthaharan, Ivan Dominguez-Candela, Carlota Auria-Soro, Andres San-Millan, Rebecca Walker, Bhaskar Chilukuri, M. Blanca Ros and Alfonso Martinez-Felipe.
J. Mol. Liq., 2024, 399, 124371. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.124371
Silver Dendritic Gels with Luminescence and Aggregation-Induced Emission Effect
Verónica Iguarbe, Pilar Romero, Anabel Elduque and Raquel Giménez.
Gels 2024, 10(5), 291. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels10050291
Effect of Hydrogen Bonding and Chirality in Star-Shaped Molecules with Peripheral Triphenylamines: Liquid Crystal Semiconductors and Gels
Alejandro Martínez-Bueno, Santiago Martín, Josu Ortega, César L. Folcia, Roberto Termine, Attilio Golemme, Raquel Giménez and Teresa Sierra.
Chem. Mater., 2024, 36, 9, 4343–4356. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c03241
Responsive polymers and copolymers
The pursuit of advanced systems for administering biologically active agents in disease treatments holds promise for improving therapeutic outcomes. Overcoming the challenge of developing precise and efficient transport and dosing systems, wherein the release of an active agent can be triggered on-demand, has led to the exploration of amphiphilic block copolymer nanoparticles, as a promising nanocarriers.
This approach critically depends on gaining access to functional macromolecules with a precisely defined architecture and self-assembly properties at the nanoscale, also being biocompatible and preferable degradable. In our research group, we employ a combination of controlled polymerizations and click chemistries to engineer block copolymers featuring diverse architectures, such as linear, dendritic, or star-shaped macromolecules integrating stimuli-sensitive units to impart responsiveness.
By integrating these synthetic tools with diverse processing techniques, including nanoprecipitation, microfluidics or polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA), we have successfully developed micellar nanoparticles and vesicles as vector for controlled drug delivery (e.g. camptothecin, paclitaxel or naproxen) and photothermal therapy. Our active involvement extends to the development of stimuli-responsive nanocarriers utilizing light and temperature to trigger the release of cargoes. We are exploring the potential of using photothermal transducers capable of converting near-infrared (NIR) radiation into heat to increase the local temperature of the nanocarriers, thereby triggering the precise and localized release of the payload. The achievement of photo-thermoresponsive nanocarriers might also lead to enhanced therapeutic activity by synergistically combining pharmacotherapy and hyperthermia.
Involved researchers: Milagros Piñol (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
), Luis Oriol, Sara Bescós, Javier Martín, Miriam Abad.
Key recent publications:
Polym. Chem. 2023, 14, 71-80. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2PY01250B
J. Microencapsul. 2022, 39, 276-287. https://doi.org/10.1080/02652048.2022.2061621
Eur. Polym. J. 2020, 126, 109561. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2020.109561
Polymers 2019 11, 2060. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym11122060
Stimuli-cleavable hydrogels and antimicrobial polymers
Versatility of click reactions on the synthesis of functional polymers has been very recently applied to new research lines on responsive hydrogels using click/unclick reactions and antimicrobial polymers.
On one hand, click chemistry is applied to the preparation of responsive hydrogels using water-soluble polymers with functional groups able to spontaneously react with water soluble crosslinkers in aqueous media. Unclick reactions can be stimulated by pH and/or temperature, and light to provoke the erosion of the polymeric network. Nanogels with conjugated bioactive molecules can be prepared using these click/unclick reactions or degradable hydrogels for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules (antimicrobials, anesthetics, proteins…). Furthermore, the preparation of covalent adaptable networks is also envisaged as an extension of new click/unclick chemical approaches.
On the other hand, orthogonal click reactions can be applied to the preparation of antimicrobial degradable linear-dendritic polymers with guanidium groups at the periphery of dendrons. The influence of dendron generation and hydrophobicity is being investigated to optimize new selective antibacterial polymers based on degradable precise macromolecules.
Involved researchers: Luis Oriol (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), Milagros Piñol, Sara Bescós, Javier Martín
Key recent publications:
Stimuli-cleavable hydrogels and antimicrobial polymers
Versatility of click reactions on the synthesis of functional polymers has been very recently applied to new research lines on responsive hydrogels using click/unclick reactions and antimicrobial polymers.
On one hand, click chemistry is applied to the preparation of responsive hydrogels using water-soluble polymers with functional groups able to spontaneously react with water soluble crosslinkers in aqueous media. Unclick reactions can be stimulated by pH and/or temperature, and light to provoke the erosion of the polymeric network. Nanogels with conjugated bioactive molecules can be prepared using these click/unclick reactions or degradable hydrogels for controlled delivery of bioactive molecules (antimicrobials, anesthetics, proteins…). Furthermore, the preparation of covalent adaptable networks is also envisaged as an extension of new click/unclick chemical approaches.
On the other hand, orthogonal click reactions can be applied to the preparation of antimicrobial degradable linear-dendritic polymers with guanidium groups at the periphery of dendrons. The influence of dendron generation and hydrophobicity is being investigated to optimize new selective antibacterial polymers based on degradable precise macromolecules.
Involved researchers: Luis Oriol (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), Milagros Piñol, Sara Bescós, Javier Martín
Key recent publications:
2023
Aqueous seeded RAFT polymerization for the preparation of self-assemblies containing nucleobase analogues
Miriam Abad, Gracia Mendoza, Laura Usón, Manuel Arruebo, Milagros Piñol, Víctor Sebastián and Luis Oriol.
Polym. Chem., 2023, 14, 71. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2PY01250B
DNMR measurements of an asymmetric odd liquid crystal dimer: determination of the intramolecular angle and the degree of order of the two rigid cores
Nerea Sebastián, Blaz Zupancic, Bostjan Zalar, David O. López, Josep Salud, Victor López de Rioja, Rafael Levit, Beatriz Robles-Hernández, María Rosario de la Fuente, Nélida Gimeno, Marıía Blanca Ros and Sergio Diez-Berart.
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys, 2023, 25, 2486-2497. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CP02696A
Heparin-Coated Dendronized Hyperbranched Polymers for Antimalarial Targeted Delivery
María San Anselmo, Elena Lantero, Yunuen Avalos-Padilla, Inés Bouzón-Arnáiz, Miriam Ramírez, Alejandro Postigo, José Luis Serrano, Teresa Sierra, Silvia Hernández-Ainsa and Xavier Ferná̀ndez-Busquets.
ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 2023, 5, 318-390. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01553
Tuning of Mechanical Properties in Photopolymerizable Gelatin-Based Hydrogels for In Vitro Cell Culture Systems
Regina Pamplona, Sandra González-Lana, Pilar Romero, Ignacio Ochoa, Rafael Martín-Rapún and Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos
ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 2023, 5, 1487–1498. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsapm.2c01980
Soft nanostructures out of star-shaped triazines with flexible amide spacers: liquid crystals with a cubic to columnar transition with memory effect, gels and supramolecular chirality
A. Martínez-Bueno, R. Vidal, J. Ortega, J. Etxebarria, C. L. Folcia, R. Giménez, T. Sierra.
Materials Today Chemistry 2023, 29, 101394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtchem.2023.101394
Self-assembly of bent-core amphiphiles joining the ethylene-oxide/lithium ion tandem
Martín Castillo-Vallés, César L. Folcia, Josu Ortega, Jesús Etxebarria, M. Blanca Ros.
J. Mol. Liq., 2023, 381, 121825
Triphenylamine-Containing Benzoic Acids: Synthesis, Liquid Crystalline and Redox Properties
B. Feringán, A. Martínez-Bueno, T. Sierra , R. Giménez.
Molecules, 2023, 28, 2887. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules28072887
Noncovalent Design of Columnar LCs on the Way to Nanostructured Functional Materials
Raquel Giménez, Alejandro Martínez-Bueno, and Teresa Sierra
Supramolecular Nanotechnology. Advanced Design of Self-Assembled Functional Materials. Azzaroni, Conda-Sheridan (Eds). VCH, 2023. Cap. 15, pp. 425-444 (ISBN 978-3-527-34948-7)
Supramolecular Versatility of Bent-Shaped Molecules
M. Blanca Ros
Supramolecular Nanotechnology. Advanced Design of Self-Assembled Functional Materials. Azzaroni, Conda-Sheridan (Eds). VCH, 2023. Cap. 24, pp. 641-666 (ISBN 978-3-527-34948-7)
The Mechanical and Biological Performance of Photopolymerized Gelatin‐Based Hydrogels as a Function of the Reaction Media
Regina Pamplona, Sandra González-Lana, Pilar Romero, Ignacio Ochoa, Rafael Martín-Rapún and Carlos Sánchez-Somolinos
Macromol. Biosci., 2023, 202300227. https://doi.org/10.1002/mabi.202300227
Liquid Crystal Emulsions: A Versatile Platform for Photonics, Sensing, and Active Matter
Alberto Concellón
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, e202308857, https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202308857
Bent-core liquid crystals joining the ethylene-oxide / lithium ion tandem: Ionic conductivity and dielectric response towards new electrolytes for energy applications
Alfonso Martinez-Felipe, Daniel Zaton, Martín Castillo-Vallés, Asia Baldini, Jonathan Pease, Natalie Leader, Nurul Fadhilah Kamalul Aripin, Marco Giaginti-Baschetti, M. Blanca Ros
J.Mol. Liq., 2023, 390, 123100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2023.123100
Sheathed Molecular Junctions for Unambiguous Determination of Charge-Transport Properties
L. Herrer, S. Naghibi, I. Marín, J. S. Ward, J. M. Bonastre, S. J. Higgins, S. Martín, A. Vezzoli, R. J. Nichols, J. L. Serrano and P. Cea.
Adv. Mater. Interfaces 2023, 10, 2300133. https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202300133
Ionic Liquid Crystalline Calixarene with Photo-Switchable Proton Conduction
A. Concellón, I. Marín, J. Barberá, M. Marcos and J.L. Serrano.
Helv. Chim. Acta 2023, 106, e202300010. https://doi.org/10.1002/hlca.202300010
