| Abstract: | Sequence-specific polymers are proving to be a powerful approach to
assembly and manipulation of matter on the nanometer scale. Ligands that
are peptoids, or sequence-specific N-functional glycine oligomers, allow
precise and flexible control over the arrangement of binding groups,
steric spacers, charge, and other functionality. We have synthesized
short peptoids that can prevent the aggregation of gold nanoparticles in
high-salt environments including divalent salt, and allow co-adsorption
of a single DNA molecule. This degree of precision and versatility is
likely to prove essential in bottom-up assembly of nanostructures and in
biomedical applications of nanomaterials. |