Alkaline hydrolyses of anionic phenyl esters such as 4-acetoxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid and 4-butyryloxy-3-nitrobenzoic acid were examined in the presence of cationic and polymeric liposomes, liposomes of low molecular weight compounds, and micelles. All the additives accelerate the reaction due to the hydrophobic interaction between substrates and additives and the electrostatic interaction both between substrates and additives and between OH− and additives. In the Arrhenius plots of the reactions catalyzed by the liposomes, discontinuous regions were observed due to the phase transition of liposomes from the gel state to the liquid crystal state. Activation parameters ΔH≠, ΔS≠ and ΔV≠ for thes…

Polymeric monolayers and liposomes as models for biomembranes

Polymer chemists as poachers in foreign grounds? Why not? Macromolecular chemistry has become a mature science with all advantages and handicaps of a well-established scientific discipline: many heights are conquerred and the harvest is abundant, but adventures and the future might be elsewhere. Besides, in these times of bottomed out industrial profits in common plastics, future polymer chemistry cannot be limited to repetitive improvement of already successful mass polymers but should rather expand into neighboring fields of material science as well as life science where “polymer thinking” might help to overcome difficulties. — First hesitant steps on the bridge towards membrane biology h…