Sequential synthesis of coordination polymersomes.

Novel organic-inorganic hybrid liposomes, so-called coordination polymersomes (CPsomes), with artificial domains that exhibit strong lateral cohesion were prepared by a three-step procedure that formed a coordinative interaction leading to a lipid bilayer. First, the lipophilic complex (dabco-C18)[Mn(N)(CN)4(dabco-C18)] (1; dabco-C18(+)=1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane-(CH2)17-CH3 cation), was synthesized. 1 has a lipophilic alkyl tail part and a tetracyanometallate head group, which can be used for an expansion to two-dimensional coordination networks. Second, 1 and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine were mixed to prepare the liposomes. Finally, CPsomes were obtained by the addition of transition-metal ions (M) to form unilamellar faceted liposomes with plain CP raft domains with Mn-CN-M linkages. The concentration of 1 influences the size of the CP raft domains and the shape of the CPsomes. The synthesis of coordination polymers in lipid bilayers is a novel approach for the construction of artificial architectures as raft domains, for example, in cell membranes.