Hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) with Mw 5,000 and 25,000 Da and different degrees of substitution with maltose (PEI-Mal) was firstly described by Appelhans et al. Its biocompatibility and the potential to complex anionic molecules was demonstrated previously. In this study, the characterisation of host-guest interactions of PEI-Mal with various anionic water-soluble guest molecules with aromatic moieties in the structure (adenosine triphosphate, rose bengal, and acid red 26) in solution was provided. Also, a multicomponent drug@PEI-Mal@hydrogel system was achieved.

Hyperbranched poly(ethylene imine) with Mw 5,000 and 25,000 Da and different degrees of substitution with maltose (PEI-Mal) was firstly described by Appelhans et al. Its biocompatibility and the potential to complex anionic molecules was demonstrated previously. In this study, the characterisation of host-guest interactions of PEI-Mal with various anionic water-soluble guest molecules with aromatic moieties in the structure (adenosine triphosphate, rose bengal, and acid red 26) in solution was provided. Also, a multicomponent drug@PEI-Mal@hydrogel system was achieved.

Das Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Synthese eindimensionaler Nanoröhren basierend auf leichten Elementen. Inspiriert von Kohlenstoff Nanoröhren werden Interessante Eigenschafte für diese Materialien erwartet. Aktuell ist die Synthese solcher Kohlenstoff Nanorohren nur mit vergleichsweise aufwendigen Methoden möglich. Hierbei stellt besonders die uniforme Synthese von Röhren mit exakt gleichen Durchmessern und Symmetrien ein noch ungelöstes Problem dar. Durch diese Arbeit erhofften wir uns eine völlig neue Arte der Synthese für solche 1D Nanomaterialien zu etablieren. Dazu wurden in Kapitel 2 und 3 zwei verschiedene Typen von gespannten aromatischen Makrozyklen synthetisiert. Die synthetisierten Makrozyklen zeichnen sich durch einen hohen Grad an Funktionalisierung aus, welcher zukünftig dazu genutzt werden soll die Prinzipien der dynamisch kovalenten Chemie in der finalen Materialsynthese anzuwenden. Der durch die Funktionalisierung erzeugte innere Hohlraum dieser zyklischen Verbindungen lässt sich nutzen, um verschiedene molekulare Gäste zu binden. Die Erkenntnisse in Bezug auf die Synthese solcher Makrozyklen, die hierbei erzielt wurden, werden entscheidend dazu beitragen, dass anfänglich beschriebene Ziel der nasschemischen Synthese 1D organischer Nanoröhren in Zukunft zu erreichen. Die Methoden, der Makrozyklisierung sollten in Kapitel 4 dazu genutzt werden einen chiralen aromatischen Makrozyklus auf Basis von [5]Helicen-Untereinheiten zu synthetisieren, allerdings ohne Erfolg. Stattdessen wurde ein Nebenprodukt isoliert, dass sich als bisher unbekannter molekulare Schalter erwies. Dieser Schalter erlaubt es durch Bestrahlung bei tiefen Temperaturen reversibel ein paramagnetisches Isomer zu erzeugen. Dadurch eröffnet sich eine völlig neue Klasse an molekularen Schaltern, deren Anwendungspotential den Rahmen dieser Arbeit überschreitet. / The aim of this work was the synthesis of one-dimensional nanotubes based on light elements. Inspired by carbon nanotubes, interesting properties for these materials are expected. Currently, the synthesis of such carbon nanotubes is only possible with comparatively complex methods. Especially the uniform synthesis of tubes with exactly the same diameters and symmetries is still an unsolved problem. Through this work we hoped to establish a completely new way of synthesis for such 1D nanomaterials. To this end, two different types of strained aromatic macrocycles were synthesized in Chapters 2 and 3. The synthesized macrocycles are characterized by a high degree of functionalization, which will be used in the future to apply the principles of dynamic covalent chemistry in the final material synthesis. The internal cavity of these cyclic compounds created by functionalization can be used to bind various molecular guests. The knowledge regarding the synthesis of such macrocycles obtained here will be instrumental in achieving the initially described goal of wet chemical synthesis of 1D organic nanotubes in the future. The methods of macrocyclization were to be used in Chapter 4 to synthesize a chiral aromatic macrocycle based on [5]helicene subunits, but without success. Instead, a byproduct was isolated that proved to be a previously unknown molecular switch. This switch allows reversible generation of a paramagnetic isomer by irradiation at low temperatures. This opens up a completely new class of molecular switches whose potential applications are beyond the scope of this work.

The adhesive and frictional response of an AFM tip connected to a substrate through supramolecular host–guest complexes is investigated by dynamic Monte Carlo simulations. Here, the variation of the pull-off force with the unloading rate recently observed in experiments is unraveled by evidencing simultaneous (progressive) breaking of the bonds at fast (slow) rates. The model reveals the origin of the observed plateaus in the retraction force as a function of the tip-surface distance, showing that they result from the tip geometrical features. In lateral sliding, the model exhibits a wide range of dynamic behaviors ranging from smooth sliding to stick-slip at different velocities, with the average friction force determined by the characteristic formation/rupture rates of the complexes. In particular, it is shown that for some molecular complexes friction can become almost constant over a wide range of velocities. Also, we show the possibility of exploiting the ageing effect through slide-hold-slide experiments, in order to infer the characteristic formation rate. Finally, our model predicts a novel ‘‘antiageing’’ effect which is characterized by a decrease of the static friction force with the hold time. Such an effect is explained in terms of enhancement of adhesion during sliding, especially observed at high driving velocities.