The nature of the solvent plays an important role in the conformation and orientation of polymers in solution. A particularly interesting case is when the solvent itself possesses order, such as when dissolving the polymer in a LC. In this dissertation, the morphology and diffusion behavior of the conjugated, stiff polymer MEH-PPV, (poly[2-methoxy-5((2-ethylhexyl)oxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene]), in liquid crystal (LC) solvents have been investigated. Using polarization sensitive fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, it was found that in a nematic LC the polymer molecules are extended and highly aligned parallel with the nematic director. The conformation and orientational order of MEH-PPV increase with chain stiffness as a result of an interplay among the conformational entropy, solvation anisotropy, and bending energy of the polymer chains. In the smectic phase, about 10% of the MEH-PPV molecules are aligned perpendicular to the director in between the smectice layers, an effect not previously observed for a polymer solute. When applying an external electric field across the LC cell, the LC director changes orientation from a planar to a homeotropic alignment. The MEH-PPV chains remain aligned parallel with the LC director with applied field in the bulk of the LC device. However, the local structure near the LC-substrate interface is more complex. Single molecule polarization distributions measured as a function of distance from the LC device interface allow us to use MEH-PPV as sensitive local probe to explore complex structures in anisotropic media. Furthermore, diffusion anisotropy of the polymer solute in a LC solvent was studied by a novel two-beam cross-correlation technique. The diffusion anisotropy was observed to be about 2. This value is comparable to the diffusion anisotropy of the solvent and suggests that, despite the high degree of alignment, the solute diffusion is governed by the solvent and not the solute.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Lung cancer accounted for 28% of all cancer related deaths in Hong Kong and has been the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common lung cancer (85%) and has been linked to poor prognosis with 5-year survival rates of only 15%. Low accumulation and lack of efficient penetration of therapeutic agents in the tumor site, and severe adverse effects are the main obstacles in efficient lung cancer chemotherapy.. Triptolide (TPL), a diterpenoid triepoxide, was first isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F. It had attracted extensive attention for its anti-tumor effect. However, its therapeutic potential has been limited by the poor water solubility (0.017 mg/mL) and strong toxicity with LD50 of 0.8 mg/kg. To improve the therapeutic effects and facilitate the application of TPL in lung cancer therapy, we developed different ligands-modified TPL-loaded liposomal formulations for lung cancer specific delivery.. Antibody-decorated liposomes can facilitate the precise delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs to the lung by targeting a recognition factor present on the surface of lung tumor cells. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX), an enzyme overexpressed on the surface of lung cancer cells with a restricted expression in normal lungs, is used as the target for NSCLC therapy. In the present study, anti-CA IX antibody-modified TPL-loaded liposomes was developed. CA IX-directed liposomes exhibited 1.7-fold enhancement in internalization effects and 2-fold higher cytotoxicity in CA IX-positive human non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549. In vivo, CA IX-directed liposomes confined the delivery specifically to the lung and resided up to 96 h, which further showed enhanced therapeutic efficiency in orthotopic lung tumor bearing mice.. CPP33 is a tumor lineage-homing cell-penetrating peptide reported to be highly permeable into human lung cancer cell. Here, we utilized CPP33 for translocation of TPL-liposomal formulation into lung tumor cells. In vitro, CPP33-TPL-lip significantly improved apoptotic feature on A549 cells than non-modified liposomes. CPP33-lip specifically promoted the penetration ability of liposomes on A549 rather than human lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5), showing prominent cell selectivity. Furthermore, CPP33-lip showed superior penetrating ability on 3D tumor spheroids compared to non-modified liposomes.. A dual-ligand TPL-loaded liposomes (dl-TPL-lip) via conjugation of anti-CA IX antibody (targeting module) and CPP33 (trans-membrane module) was further developed to improve the therapeutic efficacy of NSCLC. The dl-TPL-lip showed superior penetrating ability and inhibiting effect on 3D tumor spheroids and significantly enhanced TPL anti-cancer efficacy following pulmonary administration in orthotopic lung cancer nude mice. The encapsulation of TPL in liposomes reduced the exposure of TPL in systemic circulation, which is demonstrated by pharmacokinetic study in rat plasma by endotracheal administration. Further anti-cancer effect study showed that dl-TPL-lip exhibited the greatest efficacy compared to TPL solution, non-modified TPL-loaded liposomes, anti-CA IX Ab or CPP33 single ligand-modified liposomes.. In summary, the findings of this study establish promising TPL delivery systems for targeted therapy of lung cancer. Current research focusing on drug delivery systems provides an insight into targeted and safe delivery of TPL in preclinical setting.

No description available.

No description available.

The syntheses of new classes of conjugated polymers are presented. The synthesis of novel alkyne bridged trispyrazolylmethane ligands, their coordination behavior and their crystallographic properties are studied. A series of functionalized poly(paraphenyleneethynylene)s, PPEs, are produced by click chemistry with post and pre-polymerization. Unpredictable solid-state polymerizations of defect free conjugated polythiophenes are investigated. Finally, by click chemistry aromatic diazides and aromatic diynes are coupled to produce a library of 1,2,3-triazoles and new conjugated polymers, poly(arylenetriazoline)s.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-162).

The primary goal of this study is to develop novel metal catalyzed multicomponent reaction methods to generate imidazoles and their derivatives. This is directed towards the assembly of poly-substituted imidazoles, imidazolones and imidazole-containing pi-conjugated polymers. These products are generated in one-pot from such basic components as imines, acid chlorides, carbon monoxide, and/or organostannanes, via the use of palladium catalysis. / In Chapter 2, the design of a new palladium catalyzed synthesis of highly substituted imidazoles from imines and acid chlorides is described. This reaction involves the palladium catalyzed generation of 1, 3-oxazolium-5-oxides (Munchnones); which are trapped with N-tosyl substituted imines via a 1, 3 dipolar cycloaddition reaction to form the final products. Overall, this provides a one step method to assemble imidazoles from imines and acid chlorides with excellent regiochemical control. The versatility of this process is demonstrated by the assembly of diversely substituted imidazoles, including those with aryl, alkyl, heterocyclic and vinyl substituents. / Chapter 3 describes a new, palladium catalyzed, five component coupling of imines, chloroformates, organotin reagents, carbon monoxide and ammonium acetate to form imidazolones. The key step in this process is the efficient formation of ketocarbamates via the carbonylative cross coupling type reaction of imines, chloroformates and organostannanes. These products can be easily converted into imidazolones via a cyclocondensation with ammonium acetate. / The synthesis of pi-conjugated imidazole-containing polymers is described in Chapter 4. This process is designed based upon our previous studies on palladium catalyzed multicomponent synthesis of imidazoles, developed in Chapter 2. It is shown that bifunctional monomers such as di-imines, di-acid chlorides and di-N-tosylimines can be coupled together to assemble pi-conjugated imidazole-containing oligomers and polymers utilizing this same palladium catalyzed reaction. This approach was used to create a novel library of conjugated imidazole polymers. By modifying the substituents on the polymer structures, the UV-vis absorbance and fluorescence excitation/emission spectra of these compounds are varied over a range of 150 nm. / In Chapter 5, the palladium catalyzed multicomponent polymerization is discussed in more detail. This includes the analysis of the end groups on the polymer backbone, as well as mechanistic studies into how the polymerization is terminated. These results suggest that the sulfinate anion liberated upon N-tosylimine cycloaddition may be non-innocent in this polymerization, and its presence could lead to termination of the growing polymer chain.

The completion of the color palette has yielded a family of electrochromic polymers (ECPs) each able to absorb in unique regions across the visible spectrum. Synthetically, by varying the electronic content of phenylene type moieties coupled with the donor 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT), high band gaps can be achieved absorbing short wavelength light, yielding a family of yellow-to-transmissive electrochromic polymers. Using the synthetic approach to tune specific absorptions in a discrete region of the visible spectrum, a family of electrochromic polymers that possess sharpened or broadened absorption spectra relative to electrochromic materials previously produced has been developed. By varying the steric hindrance of dioxythiophenes along a conjugated backbone, new hues of magenta and blue have been achieved. Through progressively adding more steric hindrance and twisting the polymer backbone, the absorbance of a polymer can be pushed towards shorter wavelengths, allowing more red light and less blue light to pass through a film. This unequal passing of long and short wavelengths reduces the overall purple color that is normally exhibited by a previous magenta ECP, thereby giving brighter, truer magenta colored materials. By reducing steric hindrance and relaxing the polymer backbone, the opposite can be achieved: pushing the absorbance of a polymer to longer wavelengths allows more blue and less red light to transmit. These polymers also exhibit highly transmissive oxidized states that are attainable at low potentials. In the quest to achieve black (or dark as defined by low L*) to transmissive ECPs with suitable contrast for window or eyewear applications, a relaxed donor-acceptor architecture has been explored. These materials give broad neutral state absorptions with a %Tint (380-780 nm) > 50 %, bringing these materials closer to realization.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of St Andrews, April 2007.