Extraordinary Acceleration of Cogwheel Helical Self-Organization of Dendronized Perylene Bisimides by the Dendron Sequence Encoding Their Tertiary Structure.

The cogwheel model of hierarchical self-organization provides a route to highly ordered crystalline helical columnar hexagonal arrays of perylene bisimides (PBIs) conjugated to (3,4,5)-dimethyloctyl (racemic dm8*, r) minidendrons. Cogwheel PBIs assemble with identical structural order irrespective of molecular chirality to generate helical columns jacketed with an alkyl coat with length equal to half the helical pitch, exhibiting helical deracemization in the crystal state. These assemblies were accessible only via annealing or cooling and reheating at 1 °C/min. Recently it was discovered that hybrid rr8 sequence-defined dendrons with r and linear n-octyl (8) chains enabled the formation of the cogwheel phase at 10 °C/min upon heating but not cooling. Here we report four libraries of hybrid PBIs with sequence-defined dendrons containing r and n-alkyl (CnH2n+1) chains with n = 6, 7, 9, and 10. Structural analysis of these libraries by fiber X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry reveals that the 9r9 sequence enables an extraordinary acceleration of cogwheel assembly at rates of up to 50 °C/min on heating and cooling, providing, to the best of our knowledge, the fastest crystallizing supramolecular or covalent macromolecule known. Solid-state NMR studies help to elucidate this unexpected and unprecedented extraordinary acceleration of hierarchical self-organization, which arises from a combination of crystal packing of the ideal tertiary structure and alkyl chain dynamics. This general model raises questions about the use of achiral motifs to achieve high structural order in chiral systems and the need for disorder to create order in complex biological and bioinspired synthetic systems.

Sequence-Defined Dendrons Dictate Supramolecular Cogwheel Assembly of Dendronized Perylene Bisimides.

A dendronized perylene bisimide (PBI) that self-organizes into hexagonal arrays of supramolecular double helices with identical single-crystal-like order that disregards chirality was recently reported. A cogwheel model of self-assembly that explains this process was proposed. Accessing the highly ordered cogwheel phase required very slow heating and cooling or extended periods of annealing. Analogous PBIs with linear alkyl chains did not exhibit the cogwheel assembly. Here a library of sequence-defined dendrons containing all possible compositions of linear and racemic alkyl chains was employed to construct self-assembling PBIs. Thermal and structural analysis of their assemblies by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and fiber X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that the incorporation of n-alkyl chains accelerates the formation of the high order cogwheel phase, rendering the previously invisible phase accessible under standard heating and cooling rates. Small changes to the primary structure, as constitutional isomerism, result in significant changes to macroscopic properties such as melting of the periodic array. This study demonstrated how changes to the sequence-defined primary structure, including the relocation of methyl groups between two constitutional isomers, dictate tertiary and quaternary structure in hierarchical assemblies. This led to the discovery of a sequence that self-organizes the cogwheel assembly much faster than even the corresponding homochiral compounds and demonstrated that defined-sequence, which has long been recognized as a determinant for the complex structure of biomacromolecules including proteins and nucleic acids, plays the same role also in supramolecular synthetic systems.

Tetrahedral Arrangements of Perylene Bisimide Columns via Supramolecular Orientational Memory.

Chiral, shape, and liquid crystalline memory effects are well-known to produce commercial macroscopic materials with important applications as springs, sensors, displays, and memory devices. A supramolecular orientational memory effect that provides complex nanoscale arrangements was only recently reported. This supramolecular orientational memory was demonstrated to preserve the molecular orientation and packing within supramolecular units of a self-assembling cyclotriveratrylene crown at the nanoscale upon transition between its columnar hexagonal and Pm3̅n cubic periodic arrays. Here we report the discovery of supramolecular orientational memory in a dendronized perylene bisimide (G2-PBI) that self-assembles into tetrameric crowns and subsequently self-organizes into supramolecular columns and spheres. This supramolecular orientation memory upon transition between columnar hexagonal and body-centered cubic (BCC) mesophases preserves the 3-fold cubic [111] orientations rather than the 4-fold [100] axes, generating an unusual tetrahedral arrangement of supramolecular columns. These results indicate that the supramolecular orientational memory concept may be general for periodic arrays of self-assembling dendrons and dendrimers as well as for other periodic and quasiperiodic nanoscale organizations comprising supramolecular spheres, generated from other organized complex soft matter including block copolymers and surfactants.

Screening Libraries of Semifluorinated Arylene Bisimides to Discover and Predict Thermodynamically Controlled Helical Crystallization.

Synthesis, structural, and retrostructural analysis of a library containing 16 self-assembling perylene (PBI), 1,6,7,12-tetrachloroperylene (Cl4PBI), naphthalene (NBI), and pyromellitic (PMBI) bisimides functionalized with environmentally friendly AB3 chiral racemic semifluorinated minidendrons at their imide groups via m = 0, 1, 2, and 3 methylene units is reported. These semifluorinated compounds melt at lower temperatures than homologous hydrogenated compounds, permitting screening of all their thermotropic phases via structural analysis to discover thermodynamically controlled helical crystallization from propeller-like, cogwheel, and tilted molecules as well as lamellar-like structures. Thermodynamically controlled helical crystallization was discovered for propeller-like PBI, Cl4PBI and NBI with m = 0. Unexpectedly, assemblies of twisted Cl4PBIs exhibit higher order than those of planar PBIs. PBI with m = 1, 2, and 3 form a thermodynamically controlled columnar hexagonal 2D lattice of tilted helical columns with intracolumnar order. PBI and Cl4PBI with m = 1 crystallize via a recently discovered helical cogwheel mechanism, while NBI and PMBI with m = 1 form tilted helical columns. PBI, NBI and PMBI with m = 2 generate lamellar-like structures. 3D and 2D assemblies of PBI with m = 1, 2, and 3, NBI with m = 1 and PMBI with m = 2 exhibit 3.4 Å π-π stacking. The library approach applied here and in previous work enabled the discovery of six assemblies which self-organize via thermodynamic control into 3D and 2D periodic arrays, and provides molecular principles to predict the supramolecular structure of electronically active components.

Hierarchical Self-Organization of Perylene Bisimides into Supramolecular Spheres and Periodic Arrays Thereof.

Perylene bisimide derivatives (PBIs) are known to form only columnar or lamellar assemblies. There is no known example of a PBI self-assembling into a supramolecular sphere. Therefore, periodic and quasiperiodic arrays generated from spherical assemblies produced from PBIs are also not known. Here, a PBI functionalized at its imide groups with a second generation self-assembling dendron is reported to self-assemble into supramolecular spheres. These spheres self-organize in a body-centered cubic (BCC) periodic array, rarely encountered for self-assembling dendrons but often encountered in block copolymers. These supramolecular spheres also assemble into a columnar hexagonal array in which the supramolecular columns are unexpectedly and unprecedentedly made from spheres. At lower temperature, two additional columnar hexagonal phases consisting of symmetric and asymmetric tetrameric crowns of PBI are observed. Structural and retrostructural analysis via X-ray diffraction (XRD), molecular modeling, molecular simulation, and solid state NMR suggests that inversion of the symmetric tetrameric crowns at high temperature mediates their transformation into supramolecular spheres. The tetrameric crowns of PBIs are able to form an isotropic sphere in the cubic phase due to rapid molecular motion at high temperature, unobservable by XRD but demonstrated by solid state NMR studies. This mechanism of hierarchical self-organization of PBI into supramolecular spheres is most probably general and can be applied to other related planar molecules to generate new functions.

Magnetic resonance imaging of (1)H long lived states derived from parahydrogen induced polarization in a clinical system.

Hyperpolarization is a powerful tool to overcome the low sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). However, applications are limited due to the short lifetime of this non equilibrium spin state caused by relaxation processes. This issue can be addressed by storing hyperpolarization in slowly decaying singlet spin states which was so far mostly demonstrated for non-proton spin pairs, e.g. (13)C-(13)C. Protons hyperpolarized by parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) in symmetrical molecules, are very well suited for this strategy because they naturally exhibit a long-lived singlet state. The conversion of the NMR silent singlet spin state to observable magnetization can be achieved by making use of singlet-triplet level anticrossings. In this study, a low-power radiofrequency pulse sequence is used for this purpose, which allows multiple successive singlet-triplet conversions. The generated magnetization is used to record proton images in a clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, after 3min waiting time. Our results may open unprecedented opportunities to use the standard MRI nucleus (1)H for e.g. metabolic imaging in the future.

A supramolecular helix that disregards chirality.

The functions of complex crystalline systems derived from supramolecular biological and non-biological assemblies typically emerge from homochiral programmed primary structures via first principles involving secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. In contrast, heterochiral and racemic compounds yield disordered crystals, amorphous solids or liquids. Here, we report the self-assembly of perylene bisimide derivatives in a supramolecular helix that in turn self-organizes in columnar hexagonal crystalline domains regardless of the enantiomeric purity of the perylene bisimide. We show that both homochiral and racemic perylene bisimide compounds, including a mixture of 21 diastereomers that cannot be deracemized at the molecular level, self-organize to form single-handed helical assemblies with identical single-crystal-like order. We propose that this high crystalline order is generated via a cogwheel mechanism that disregards the chirality of the self-assembling building blocks. We anticipate that this mechanism will facilitate access to previously inaccessible complex crystalline systems from racemic and homochiral building blocks.

High-temperature in situ crystallographic observation of reversible gas sorption in impermeable organic cages.

Crystallographic observation of adsorbed gas molecules is a highly difficult task due to their rapid motion. Here, we report the in situ single-crystal and synchrotron powder X-ray observations of reversible CO2 sorption processes in an apparently nonporous organic crystal under varying pressures at high temperatures. The host material is formed by hydrogen bond network between 1,3,5-tris-(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene (H3BTB) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and by π-π stacking between the H3BTB moieties. The material can be viewed as a well-ordered array of cages, which are tight packed with each other so that the cages are inaccessible from outside. Thus, the host is practically nonporous. Despite the absence of permanent pathways connecting the empty cages, they are permeable to CO2 at high temperatures due to thermally activated molecular gating, and the weakly confined CO2 molecules in the cages allow direct detection by in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction at 323 K. Variable-temperature in situ synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction studies also show that the CO2 sorption is reversible and driven by temperature increase. Solid-state magic angle spinning NMR defines the interactions of CO2 with the organic framework and dynamic motion of CO2 in cages. The reversible sorption is attributed to the dynamic motion of the DMF molecules combined with the axial motions/angular fluctuations of CO2 (a series of transient opening/closing of compartments enabling CO2 molecule passage), as revealed from NMR and simulations. This temperature-driven transient molecular gating can store gaseous molecules in ordered arrays toward unique collective properties and release them for ready use.

Increasing 3D Supramolecular Order by Decreasing Molecular Order. A Comparative Study of Helical Assemblies of Dendronized Nonchlorinated and Tetrachlorinated Perylene Bisimides.

A nonplanar, twisted, and flexible tetrachlorinated perylene bisimide (Cl4PBI) was functionalized with two AB3 minidendrons containing hydrogenated or semifluorinated dodecyl groups. The hydrogenated dendron was attached to the imide groups of Cl4PBI via m = 0, 1, and 2 methylenic units, whereas the dendron containing semifluorinated groups was attached via m = 3 or a di(ethylene oxide) linker (m = 2EO). The supramolecular structures of these compounds, determined by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and solid-state NMR, were compared with those of nonchlorinated planar and rigid PBI reported previously, which demonstrated the thermodynamically controlled formation of 2D periodic arrays at high temperatures and 3D arrays at low temperatures. The molecularly less ordered Cl4PBI containing hydrogenated dendrons self-organize into exclusively 3D crystalline periodic arrays under thermodynamic control for m = 0 and 2, while the more highly molecularly ordered PBI produced less stable and ordered 3D crystals and also 2D assemblies. This induction of a higher degree of 3D order in supramolecular assemblies of the less well-ordered molecular building blocks was unanticipated. The semifluorinated dendronized Cl4PBI with m = 3 formed a 2D columnar hexagonal array under kinetic control, whereas the compound with m = 2EO formed an unusual 2D honeycomb-like hexagonal phase under thermodynamic control. These Cl4PBI compounds provide a new route to stable crystalline assemblies via thermodynamic control at lower temperatures than previously obtained with PBI, thus generating 3D order in an accessible range of temperature of interest for structural analysis and for technological applications.

X-Band DNP Hyperpolarization of Viscous Liquids and Polymer Melts.

NMR studies of synthetic polymers and biomacromolecules, which provide insight into the conformation and dynamics of these materials, can benefit strongly from the increased sensitivity offered by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) and other hyperpolarizing methods. In this study (1) H DNP nuclear spin hyperpolarization of two polybutadiene samples, representing a supercooled liquid and an entangled polymer melt, is demonstrated at 0.35 T magnetic field strength and at temperatures between -80 and +50 °C. Electron spin polarization transfer from the α,γ-bisdiphenylene-ß-phenylallyl radical to the sample nuclei is achieved by the Overhauser and solid effect. DNP signal enhancements are studied, varying the electron spin resonance offset, microwave power, and sample temperature. The influence of spin relaxation times, line widths, and molecular dynamics are discussed. The results show promising, up to 15-fold NMR signal enhancements using noncryogenic temperatures and an inexpensive setup that is less technically demanding than current high-field DNP setups.

Complex columnar hexagonal polymorphism in supramolecular assemblies of a semifluorinated electron-accepting naphthalene bisimide.

Simple synthetic methods for a strongly electron-accepting naphthalene bisimide (NBI) derivative functionalized with a new environmentally friendly chiral racemic semifluorinated alkyl group and with AB3 minidendrons containing the same semifluorinated group are reported. The semifluorinated dendron was attached to the imide groups of the NBI via one, two, and three (m = 1, 2, 3) methylenic units. The NBI-containing semifluorinated groups and the dendronized NBI with m = 1 and 2 self-organize into lamellar crystals. The dendronized NBI with m = 3 self-assembles into an unprecedentedly complex and ordered column that self-organizes in a columnar hexagonal periodic array. This array undergoes a continuous transition to a columnar hexagonal superlattice that does not display a first-order phase transition during analysis by differential scanning calorimetry at heating and cooling rates of 10 and 1 °C/min. These complex columnar hexagonal periodic arrays with intramolecular order could be elucidated only by a combination of powder and fiber X-ray diffraction studies and solid-state NMR experiments. The lamellar crystals self-organized from m = 1 and the two highly ordered columnar hexagonal periodic arrays of m = 3 are assembled via thermodynamically controlled processes. Since strongly electron-accepting derivatives are of great interest to replace fullerene acceptors in organic photovoltaics and for other supramolecular electronic materials, the multitechnique structural analysis methodology elaborated here must be taken into consideration in all related studies.

Homochiral columns constructed by chiral self-sorting during supramolecular helical organization of hat-shaped molecules.

A library of dendronized cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) crowns substituted with chiral, racemic, or achiral peripheral alkyl chains, including enantiopure R and S branched alkyls, "racemic by mixture", "racemic by synthesis", n-octyl, and n-dodecyl groups was synthesized. In solvophobic solvents and in bulk they self-assemble in helical columns. Their solution and bulk shape-persistent supramolecular structures were determined by a complementary combination of circular dichroism (CD) and UV in solution and thin film, microspot CD in thin film, differential scanning calorimetry combined with fiber X-ray diffraction, computer simulation, and molecular models. In solution, self-assembly via a cooperative mechanism generates single-handed columns from enantiopure CTVs and mixtures of right- and left-handed columns from racemic by mixture, racemic by synthesis, other combinations of R and S, and even from achiral compounds. In bulk state all supramolecular columns form a 3D hexagonal crystalline phase, Φ(h)(k) (P63 symmetry), that can be obtained only from single-handed columns and a columnar hexagonal 2D liquid crystal, Φ(h). The highest order Φ(h)(k) consists of enantiopure single-handed columns that are slightly distorted 12-fold triple helices. The "hat-shaped" dendronized CTV assembles in bent-branch pine-tree columns that allow interdigitation of alkyl groups in adjacent columns regardless of their direction. Enantiomerically rich, racemic, and achiral compositions undergo deracemization in the crystal state by transfer of the transient disc-like conformer of dendronized CTV from column to column during crown inversion. Solid state NMR experiments identified motional processes that allow such transfer. This unprecedented supramolecular chiral self-sorting will impact the creation of functions in complex systems.

Tunable and switchable dielectric constant in an amphidynamic crystal.

The inclusion compound [(CH3)2NH2]2[KCo(CN)6] exhibits a marked temperature-dependent dielectric constant and can be considered as a model of tunable and switchable dielectric materials. Crystal structure and solid-state NMR studies reveal a switchable property between low and high dielectric states around 245 K. This originates from an order-disorder phase transition of the system, changing the dynamics of the polar dimethylammonium (DMA) cation. Furthermore, the tuning of the dielectric constant at temperatures below the phase transition point is related to increasing angular pretransitional fluctuations of the dipole moment of DMA.

Transformation from kinetically into thermodynamically controlled self-organization of complex helical columns with 3D periodicity assembled from dendronized perylene bisimides.

The dendronized perylene 3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PBI), (3,4,5)12G1-1-PBI, was reported by our laboratory to self-assemble into complex helical columns containing dimers of dendronized PBI with one molecule in each stratum, with different intra- and interdimer rotation angles but identical intra- and interdimer distance of 3.5 Å, exhibiting a four-strata 2(1) helical repeat. A thermodynamically controlled 2D columnar hexagonal phase with short-range intracolumnar order represents the thermodynamic product at high temperature, while a kinetically controlled monoclinic columnar array with 3D periodicity is the thermodynamic product at low temperature. With heating and cooling rates higher than 10 °C/min to 1 °C/min, at low temperature the 2D columnar periodic array is the kinetic product for this dendronized PBI. Here the synthesis and structural analysis of a library of (3,4,5)nG1-m-PBI with n = 12 to 6 and m = 1 are reported. A combination of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction on powder and orientated fibers, including pattern simulation and electron density map reconstruction, and solid-state NMR, all as a function of temperature and heating and cooling rate, was employed for their structural analysis. It was discovered that at low temperature the as-prepared n = 12 to 10 exhibit a 3D layered array that transforms irreversibly into columnar periodicities during heating and cooling. Also the kinetically controlled 3D columnar phase of n = 12 becomes thermodynamically controlled for n = 10, 9, 8, 7, and 6. This unprecedented transformation is expected to facilitate the design of functions from dendronized PBI and other self-assembling building blocks.

Long-lived 1H singlet spin states originating from para-hydrogen in Cs-symmetric molecules stored for minutes in high magnetic fields.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a very powerful tool in physics, chemistry, and life sciences, although limited by low sensitivity. This problem can be overcome by hyperpolarization techniques dramatically enhancing the NMR signal. However, this approach is restricted to relatively short time scales depending on the nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time T(1) in the range of seconds. This makes long-lived singlet states very useful as a way to extend the hyperpolarization lifetimes. Para-hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) is particularly suitable, because para-H(2) possesses singlet symmetry. Most PHIP experiments, however, are performed on asymmetric molecules, and the initial singlet state is directly converted to a NMR observable triplet state decaying with T(1), in the order of seconds. We demonstrate that in symmetric molecules, a long-lived singlet state created by PHIP can be stored for several minutes on protons in high magnetic fields. Subsequently, it is converted into observable high nonthermal magnetization by controlled singlet-triplet conversion via level anticrossing.

Proton magnetic resonance imaging with para-hydrogen induced polarization.

A major challenge in imaging is the detection of small amounts of molecules of interest. In the case of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) their signals are typically concealed by the large background signal of e.g. the body. This problem can be tackled by hyperpolarization which increases the NMR signals up to several orders of magnitude. However, this strategy is limited for (1)H, the most widely used nucleus in NMR and MRI, because the enormous number of protons in the body screens the small amount of hyperpolarized ones. Here, we describe a method giving rise to high (1)H MRI contrast for hyperpolarized molecules against a large background signal. The contrast is based on the J-coupling induced rephasing of the NMR signal of molecules hyperpolarized via PHIP and it can easily be implemented in common pulse sequences. We discuss several scenarios with different or equal dephasing times T(2)* for the hyperpolarized and thermally polarized compounds and verify our approach by experiments. This method may open up unprecedented opportunities to use the standard MRI nucleus (1)H for e.g. metabolic imaging in the future.

Packing interactions in hydrated and anhydrous forms of the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin: a solid-state NMR, X-ray diffraction, and computer simulation study.

We present an experimental NMR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and computational study of the supramolecular assemblies of two crystalline forms of Ciprofloxacin: one anhydrate and one hydrate forming water wormholes. The resonance assignment of up to 51 and 54 distinct (13)C and (1)H resonances for the hydrate is reported. The effect of crystal packing, identified by XRD, on the (1)H and (13)C chemical shifts including weak interionic H-bonds, is quantified; (1)H chemical shift changes up to ∼-3.5 ppm for CH···π contacts and ∼+2 ppm (CH···O((-))); ∼+4.7 ppm (((+))NH···O((-))) for H-bonds. Water intake induces chemical shift changes up to 2 and 5 ppm for (1)H and (13)C nuclei, respectively. Such chemical shifts are found to be sensitive detectors of hydration/dehydration in highly insoluble hydrates.

Structure formation in metal complex/polymer hybrid nanomaterials prepared by miniemulsion.

Polymer/complex hybrid nanostructures were prepared using a variety of hydrophobic metal ß-diketonato complexes. The mechanism of structure formation was investigated by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in the liquid phase. Structure formation is attributed to an interaction between free coordination sites of metal ß-diketonato complexes and coordinating anionic surfactants. Lamellar structures are already present in the miniemulsion. By subsequent polymerization the lamellae can be embedded in a great variety of different polymeric matrices. The morphology of the lamellar structures, as elucidated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), can be controlled by the choice of anionic surfactant. Using sodium alkylsulfates and sodium dodecylphosphate, "nano-onions" are formed, while sodium carboxylates lead to "kebab-like" structures. The composition of the hybrid nanostructures can be described as bilayer lamellae, embedded in a polymeric matrix. The metal complexes are separated by surfactant molecules which are arranged tail-to-tail; by increasing the carbon chain length of the surfactant the layer distance of the structured nanomaterial can be adjusted between 2 and 5 nm.

Self-repairing complex helical columns generated via kinetically controlled self-assembly of dendronized perylene bisimides.

The dendronized perylene 3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimide (PBI), (3,4,5)12G1-3-PBI, was recently reported to self-assemble in complex helical columns containing tetramers of PBI as basic repeat unit. These tetramers contain a pair of two molecules arranged side-by-side and another pair in the next stratum of the column turned upside-down and rotated around the column axis. Intra- and intertetramer rotation angles and stacking distances are different. At high temperature, (3,4,5)12G1-3-PBI self-assembles via a thermodynamically controlled process in a 2D hexagonal columnar phase while at low temperature in a 3D orthorhombic columnar array via a kinetically controlled process. Here, we report the synthesis and structural analysis, by a combination of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray and electron diffraction, and solid-state NMR performed at different temperatures, on the supramolecular structures generated by a library of (3,4,5)nG1-3-PBI with n = 14-4. For n = 11-8, the kinetically controlled self-assembly from low temperature changes in a thermodynamically controlled process, while the orthorhombic columnar array for n = 9 and 8 transforms from the thermodynamic product into the kinetic product. The new thermodynamic product at low temperature for n = 9, 8 is a self-repaired helical column with an intra- and intertetramer distance of 3.5 Å forming a 3D monoclinic periodic array via a kinetically controlled self-assembly process. The complex dynamic process leading to this reorganization was elucidated by solid-state NMR and X-ray diffraction. This discovery is important for the field of self-assembly and for the molecular design of supramolecular electronics and solar cell.

Formation of a mesoscopic skin barrier in mesoglobules of thermoresponsive polymers.

With the combination of molecular scale information from electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and meso-/macroscopic information from various other characterization techniques, the formation of mesoglobules of thermoresponsive dendronized polymers is explained. Apparent differences in the EPR spectra in dependence of the heating rate, the chemical nature of the dendritic substructure of the polymer, and the concentration are interpreted to be caused by the formation of a dense polymeric layer at the periphery of the mesoglobule. This skin barrier is formed in a narrow temperature range of ~4 K above T(C) and prohibits the release of molecules that are incorporated in the polymer aggregate. In large mesoglobules, formed at low heating rates and at high polymer concentrations, a considerable amount of water is entrapped that microphase-separates from the collapsed polymer chains at high temperatures. This results in the aggregates possessing an aqueous core and a corona consisting of collapsed polymer chains. A fast heating rate, a low polymer concentration, and hydrophobic subunits in the dendritic polymer side chains make the entrapment of water less favorable and lead to a higher degree of vitrification. This may bear consequences for the design and use of thermoresponsive polymeric systems in the fast growing field of drug delivery.