An Organic Semiconductor Organized into 3D DNA Arrays by "Bottom-up" Rational Design

Xiao Wang; Ruojie Sha; Martin Kristiansen; Carina Hernandez; Yudong Hao; Chengde Mao; James W Canary; Nadrian C Seeman

doi:10.1002/anie.201700462

An Organic Semiconductor Organized into 3D DNA Arrays by "Bottom-up" Rational Design

Angew Chem Int Ed Engl. 2017 Jun 1;56(23):6445-6448. doi: 10.1002/anie.201700462. Epub 2017 May 3.

Authors

Xiao Wang¹, Ruojie Sha¹, Martin Kristiansen¹, Carina Hernandez¹, Yudong Hao¹, Chengde Mao², James W Canary¹, Nadrian C Seeman¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, New York University, New York, NY, 10003, USA.
² Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.

PMID: 28466984
DOI: 10.1002/anie.201700462

Abstract

A 3D array of organic semiconductors was assembled using a DNA scaffold. An octameric aniline molecule ("octaniline") was incorporated into a DNA building block based on a dimeric tensegrity triangle. The construct self-assembled to form a 3D crystal. Reversible redox conversion between the pernigraniline and leucoemeraldine states of the octaniline is retained in the crystal. Protonic doping gave emeraldine salt at pH 5, corresponding to the conductive form of polyaniline. Redox cycling within the crystal was visualized by color changes and Raman microscopy. The ease of conversion between the octaniline states suggests that it is a viable electronic switch within a unique 3D structure.

Keywords: DNA tensegrity triangle; crystal engineering; nanoelectronics; polyaniline; self-assembly.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't