In this project within the Organic Dynamics Program in the Chemistry Division, Fred Menger of Emory University will investigate the physical and chemical properties that result when interacting systems are forced, and held, into close proximity. This study will provide insight into the function of naturally occurring systems that have such proximity as,for example, enzymes. This study encompasses three different projects all having "enforced proximity" as the common thread. The first will examine ion movement in monomolecular films. Although films are of key importance to science and technology, there is only one recent example, coming from Japan, attempting to measure migratory aptitudes in a monolayer. The Emory group has operational a film balance and auxiliary equipment, installed in a clean room, which will permit conductivity measurements in films of varying structure and at varying levels of pressure. The second project involves an examination of the dynamics of systems in which electrostatic forces (or a combination of electrostatic and hydrophobic forces) hold a catalyst in proximity to a substrate. One of the enzyme "models" is structurally related to an extremely efficient intramolecular reaction where an amide hydrolyzes at pH = 7, 25 degrees with an effective molarity of 10exp-14 M. Finally, the Emory group will synthesize and examine "reverse surfactants", a new type of amphiphile which can aggregate in water, as does a conventional surfactant, but not without exposing hydrocarbon patches to the solvent (i.e., not all the hydrocarbon chains can ever be buried within the assemblage). A multi-method approach, relying heavily upon dynamic light scattering and NMR, will be brought to bear on the problem of characterizing aggregates of the reverse surfactants.
