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Solution 1H NMR confirmation of folding in short o-phenylene ethynylene oligomers.

Jones TV, Slutsky MM, Laos R, de Greef TF, Tew GN

Polymer Science & Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003, USA.

Oligomers based on an o-phenylene ethynylene (oPE) backbone with polar substituents have been synthesized using Sonogashira methods. Folding of these extremely short oligomers was confirmed via 1D and 2D (NOESY) NMR methods. Utilizing electron-rich and electron-poor phenylene building blocks, variations of these oPE oligomers have been synthesized to determine the folded stability of pi-rich vs pi-poor vs pi-rich-pi-poor systems. Slight variations in temperature offer a route, aside from solvent denaturation, to probe the stability of the folded structure. This is the first report of an NMR solution characterization of folding for a PE backbone without hydrogen bonds.

Published 7 December 2005 in J Am Chem Soc, 127(49): 17235-40.
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