Supramolecular Nanoassemblies of an Amphiphilic Porphyrin–Cyclodextrin Conjugate and Their Morphological Transition from Vesicle to Network

An amphiphilic compound, 5-(4'-dodecyloxy- phenyl)-10,15,20-tri(permethyl-b-CD)-modified Zn II -porphyrin (1; b-CD = b-cyclodextrin), was synthesized by means of the click reaction of an alkylated Zn-porphyrin derivative with 6-deoxy-6-azidopermethyl-b-CD. The complexation between 1 and tetrasodium tetraphenylporphyrintetrasulfonate (5) with different molar ratios led to the formation of two distinctly different nanoarchitectures, which were proven to be vesicle and network aggregates, respectively, by using dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force micros- copy. On the basis of the results of the time-dependent TEM studies, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopic measure- ments, we have determined that the mechanism of the mor- phology transition from vesicles to networks is controlled by the stepwise complexation of 1 with 5. Furthermore, these supramolecular nanoarchitectures show the controlled- release property of doxorubicin as potential candidates for drug delivery.