Molecular and crystal structure of an amphiphile: 4′-propoxybiphenyl-4-methyl-N,N-dimethylamineoxide dihydrate

摘要

A novel amphiphile, 4′-propoxybiphenyl-4-methyl-N,N-dimethylamineoxide, has been synthesized, crystallized (P21/a, A = 9.084 ?, B = 8.911 ?, C = 22.460 ?, β = 96.224°) and its crystal structure was determined. The amphiphile forms a bilayer in which the amineoxide oxygen of each molecule binds two water molecules. In the hydrophobic part of the bilayer the biphenyls form edge-to-face contacts, in the polar layer there is a hydrogen bonding network. The potential use of the compound as a detergent for membrane proteins has been demonstrated and the relebance of the amineoxide hydrate for other detergent discussed.