Line tension is a determinant of fluid phase domain formation kinetics and morphology in lipid bilayer membranes, which are models for biological membrane heterogeneity. We describe the first direct measurement of this line tension by micropipette aspiration. Our data are analyzed with a model that does not rely on independently measured (and composition dependent) secondary parameters, such as bending stiffness or membrane viscosities. Line tension is strongly composition dependent and decreases towards a critical consolute point in a quasiternary room temperature phase diagram.

This contribution describes measurements of lipid bilayer domain line tension based on two-dimensional thermal undulations of membranes with liquid ordered/liquid disordered phase coexistence and near-critical composition at room temperature. Lateral inhomogeneity of lipid and protein composition is currently a subject of avid research aimed at determining both fundamental properties and biological relevance of membrane domains. Line tension at fluid lipid bilayer membrane domain boundaries controls the kinetics of domain growth and therefore regulates the size of compositional heterogeneities. High line tension promotes membrane domain budding and fission. Line tension could therefore be an important control parameter regulating functional aspects of biological membranes. Here the established method of fluid domain flicker spectroscopy is applied to examine thermal domain wall fluctuations of phase-separated bilayer membranes. We find a Gaussian probability distribution for the first few excited mode amplitudes, which permits an analysis by means of appropriately specialized capillary wave theory. Time autocorrelation functions are found to decay exponentially, and relaxation times are fitted by means of a hydrodynamic theory relating line tensions and excited mode relaxation kinetics. Line tensions below 1 pN are obtained, with these two approaches yielding similar results. We examine experimental artifacts that perturb the Fourier spectrum of domain traces and discuss ways to identify the number of modes that yield reliable line tension information.

According to the Felkin-Anh and Cram-chelation models, nucleophilic additions to α-silyloxy aldehydes procees through a non-chelation pathway due to the steric and electronic properties of the silyl group, giving rise to Felkin addition products. Herein we describe a general method to promote chelation-control in additions to α-silyloxy aldehydes. Dialkylzincs, functionalized dialkylzincs, and (E)-disubstituted, (E)-trisubstituted, and (Z)-disubstituted vinylzinc reagents add to silyl-protected α-hydroxy aldehydes with high selectivity for chelation-controlled products (dr of 10:1 to >20:1) in the presence of alkylzinc halides or triflates, RZnX. With the high functional group tolerance of organozinc reagents, the mild Lewis acidity of RZnX, and the excellent diastereoselectivities favoring the chelation-controlled products, this method will be useful in the synthesis of natural products. A mechanism involving chelation is supported by 1) NMR studies of a model substrate, 2) a dramatic increase in reaction rate in the presence of an alkylzinc halide, and 3) higher diastereoselectivity with larger alkyl substituents on the α-carbon of the aldehyde. This method provides access to chelation-controlled addition products with high diastereoselectivity previously unavailable using achiral organometallic reagents.

Diastereoselective Chelation-Controlled Additions to α-Silyloxy Aldehydes. -Dialkylzincs, functionalized dialkylzincs, and in situ generated (E)-di-, (E)-tri-, and (Z)-disubstituted vinylzinc species are added to aldehydes (I) with high selectivity for chelation-controlled products in the presence of alkylzinc halides or triflates. -(STANTON, G. R.; JOHNSON, C. N.; WALSH*, P. J.; J.