The Margaret Thatcher Professor of Chemistry
Department of Materials and Interfaces
Weizmann Institute of Science
Rehovot 76100, Israel
Tel. 972-8-9343908
E-mail: meir.lahav@weizmann.ac.il
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Meir Lahav The Margaret Thatcher Professor of Chemistry Department of Materials and Interfaces Weizmann Institute of Science Rehovot 76100, Israel Tel. 972-8-9343908 E-mail: meir.lahav@weizmann.ac.il |
Functional 2- and 3-dimensional Crystals
One of the central challenges of modern materials science is the ability to design and prepare functional materials starting from the atomic or molecular level. The materialization of this goal demands the discovery of new synthetic methods for the preparation of new nano-materials and discovery of new analytical tools with the help of which we may probe the structures of such nano-architectures.
In recent years our scientific efforts were directed toward surface science. Our group has been among the pioneers in applying grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, using coherent x-rays from synchrotron sources, for analyzing the structure of crystallites of nanometer dimensions, formed at liquid interfaces. The ability to analyze the structures of these clusters on the molecular level allowed us to address a number of fundamental problems, that include the following:
- The induced nucleation of super-cooled water, by amphiphilic alcohols spread on drops of water
- Spontaneous resolution of racemates, in two-dimensions, at the air/water interface; model systems for the origin of chirality on earth
- The monitoring of the early stages of crystallization of cholesterol, in relevance to the formation of gall-stones
- Design of synthetic auxiliary molecules for controlling crystal polymorphism, large-scale resolution of enantiomers by crystallization of materials of pharmaceutical interest, etc.
- Structural studies of the dynamics of ionophores (molecules that transfer ions through biological membranes) embedded within membrane-like materials, in relevance to the understanding of the mechanism of ion transfer via membranes
- Self-organization of molecules into multilayers at the interface, en route to crystal formation
- Organometallic supramolecular architectures formed at interfaces and their inter-conversion into superlattices of quantum particles; the latter materials should display unique opto-electronic properties
- Organization of the molecules at the air/solid interface and the role played by molecules of the environment on crystal growth
Selected Publications:
- " Achiral Organic, Inorganic, and Metal Crystals as Auxiliaries for Asymmetric Transformations"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Leslie Leiserowitz, and Meir Lahav
Isr. J. Chem. (2011) 51, pp. 1017-1033. DOI: 10.1002/ijch.201100066
HTML PDF- "Crystalline Architectures as Templates of Relevance to the Origins of Homochirality"
Isabelle Weissbuch and Meir Lahav*
Chem. Rev. (2011) 111 (5), pp 3236-3267. DOI: 10.1021/cr1002479
Abstract HTML PDF- "Dual Role of Hydrophobic Racemic Thioesters of a-Amino Acids in the Generation of Isotactic Peptides and Co-peptides in Water; Implications for the Origin of Homochirality"
Roni A. Illos, Gilles Clodic, Gerard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Origins of Life and Evolution of Biospheres (2011) Number 1, 51-63. DOI: 10.1007/s11084-009-9186-1
From the issue entitled "Special Issue: Emergence of Biochemical Homochirality"
HTML PDF- "Racemic β-Sheets as Templates of Relevance to the Origin of Homochirality of Peptides: Lessons from Crystal Chemistry"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Roni A. Illos, Grard Bolbach, M. Lahav
Acc. Chem. Res. (2009) 42(8), pp. 1128-1140. DOI: 10.1021/ar900033k
HTML PDF- "Manipulating Crystal Orientation in Nanoscale Cylindrical Pores by Stereochemical Inhibition"
Benjamin D. Hamilton, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav, Marc A. Hillmyer, Michael D. Ward
J. Am. Chem. Soc. (2009) Volume 131 Issue 7 pp. 2588-2596. DOI: 10.1021/ja807193s
Abstract Full text- "Racemic beta-Sheets as Templates for the Generation of Homochiral (Isotactic) Peptides from Aqueous Solutions of (RS)-Valine or -Leucine N-Carboxyanhydrides: Relevance to Biochirogenesis"
Irina Rubinstein, Gilles Clodic, Gerard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Chemistry - A European Journal, (2008) Volume 14, Issue 35, Pages: 10999-11009.
Abstract Full text PDF- "Oligopeptides and Copeptides of Homochiral Sequence, via β-Sheets, from Mixtures of Racemic α-Amino Acids, in a One-Pot Reaction in Water: Relevance to Biochirogenesis"
Roni A. Illos, Fabricio R. Bisogno, Gilles Clodic, Gerard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
J. Am. Chem Soc. 2008, 130 (27), 8651-8659 DOI: 10.1021/ja709969v
Abstract Full text- "Molecular recognition in chiral and non-chiral amphiphilic self-assemblies at interfaces"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, 2008 Volume 13, Issues 1-2, Pages 12-22.- "Comments on 'Mirror Symmetry Breaking' of the centrosymmetric CaCO3 crystals with amino acids"
Lahav Meir, Leiserowitz Leslie
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION 2008 Volume: 47, Issue: 20, Pages: 3680-3682.
Abstract Full text PDF- "Direct assignment of the absolute configuration of molecules from crystal morphology"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Chirality, Published Online: Jan 16 2008 3:11PM DOI: 10.1002/chir.20498
Abstract PDF- "Homochiral oligopeptides via surface recognition and enantiomeric cross impediment in the polymerization of racemic phenylalanine N-carboxyanhydride crystals suspended in water"
Jose Geraldo Nery, Ran Eliash, Gerard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Chirality, Volume 19, Issue 8, Date: August 2007, Pages: 612-624.
Abstract PDF- "Homochiral Oligopeptides via a Lattice-Controlled Polymerisation in Racemic Crystals of Valine N-Carboxyanhydride Suspended in Aqueous Solutions"
Ran Eliash, Jose G. Nery, Irena Rubinstein, Gilles Clodic, Gérard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Chemistry - A European Journal, Volume 13, Issue 36, Date: December 17, 2007, Pages: 10140-10151.
Abstract PDF- "Molecular recognition in chiral and non-chiral amphiphilic self-assemblies at interfaces"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Leslie Leiserowitz and Meir Lahav
Current Opinion in Colloid & Interface Science, Volume 13, Issues 1-2, 2007, Pages: 12-22.
Molecular recognition and Chirality in Amphiphilic Assemblies, edited by Dieter Vollhardt.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/13590294- "Racemic β-Sheets in Biochirogenesis"
Irena Rubinstein, Ran Eliash, Gérard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Volume 46, Issue 20, Date: May 11, 2007, Pages: 3710-3713.
Abstract PDF- "Parity Violating Energetic Difference and Enantiomorphous Crystals-Caveats; Reinvestigation of Tyrosine Crystallization"
Meir Lahav, Isabelle Weissbuch, Edna Shavit, Clarissa Reiner, Graeme J. Nicholson, Volker Schurig
Origins Life Evol. Biosphere, 36, 151, 2006.- "Hydrogen-Bonded Monolayers and Interdigitated Multilayers at the Air-Water Interface"
Martin, S. M.; Kjaer, K.; Weygand, M. J.; Weissbuch, I.; Ward, M. D.
J. Phys. Chem. B.; (Article); 2006; 110(29); 14292-14299.
Abstract HTML PDF- " A Stereochemical Approach that Demonstrates the Effect of Solvent on the Growth of Polar Crystals: A Perspective"
Lahav, M.; Leiserowitz, L.
Crystal Growth & Design (Perspective); 2006; 6(3); 619-624.
HTML PDF- " Self-Poisoning at {011} Faces of α-Resorcinol Crystals May Explain Its Unidirectional Growth in the Vapor Phase: A Molecular Modeling Study"
Weissbuch, I.; Leiserowitz, L.; Lahav, M.
Crystal Growth & Design (Communication); 2006; 6(3); 625-628.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Control of Crystal Polymorphism by Tuning the Structure of Auxiliary Molecules as Nucleation Inhibitors. The β-Polymorph of Glycine Grown in Aqueous Solutions"
Torbeev, V. Y.; Shavit, E.; Weissbuch, I.; Leiserowitz, L.; Lahav, M.
Crystal Growth & Design (Article); 2005; 5(6); 2190-2196.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Stochastic 'Mirror-Symmetry Breaking' via Self-Assembly, Reactivity and Amplification of Chirality; Relevance to Abiotic Conditions"e;
I. Weissbuch, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
Topics Curr. Chem., Walde, P. Ed.; Springer-Verlag GmbH: New York,; Vol. 259: 123-156, DOI 10.1007/b137067,2005.- "Homochiral Oligopeptides Generated via an Asymmetric Induction In racemic 2D Crystallites at the Air-Water Interface. The System Oxo/Thio-ethyl Esters of Long-Chain α-Amino Acids."e;
I. Rubinstein, K. Kjaer, I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav
Chem.Comm., 5432, DOI: 10.1039/b507457f, 2005.- "Control of Crystal Polymorphism by Tuning the Structure of Auxiliary Molecules as Nucleation Inhibitors. The β-Polymorph of Glycine Grown in Aqueous Solutions"
V.Y. Torbeev, E. Shavit, I. Weissbuch, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
Crystal Growth & Design 5, 2190, DOI: 10.1021/cg050200s, 2005.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Solvent Effect on Crystal Polymorphism: Why Addition of Methanol or Ethanol to Aqueous Solutions Induces the Precipitation of the Least Stable β Form of Glycine"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Vladimir Yu. Torbeev, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 11: Issue 10, May 6, 2005,3039-3048,2005.
Abstract HTML- "Homochiral Oligopeptides Generated by Induced Mirror Symmetry Breaking Lattice-Controlled Polymerizations in Racemic Crystals of Phenylalanine N-Carboxyanhydride"
Jose Geraldo Nery, Gerard Bolbach, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Chemistry - A European Journal, 44: Issue 21, May 20, 2005, 3226-3229,2005.
Abstract HTML- "Structure and Reactivity in Langmuir Films of Amphiphilic Alkyl and Thio-alkyl Esters of -Amino Acids at the Air/Water Interface"
Eliash, R., Weissbuch, I., Weygand, M. J., Kjaer, K., Leiserowitz, L., Lahav, M.
Phys. Chem. B 108 (22), 15923-15934, 2004. DOI: 10.1021/jp049381j
- "Chiral Amplification of Oligopeptides via Polymerization in Two-dimensional Crystallites on Water"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Gerard Bolbach, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Origins of Life and Evolution of the Biosphere 34:79-92, 2004.
Abstract- "Amphiphilic Homochiral Oligopeptides Generated via Phase Separation of Nonracemic α-Amino Acid Derivatives and Lattice-Controlled Polycondensation in a Phospholipid Environment"
Irina Rubinstein, Gerard Bolbach, Markus J.Weygand, Kristian Kjaer, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav
Helv. Chim. Acta 86, 3851-3866, 2003.
Abstract PDF- "Crystalline Phase Separation of Racemic and Nonracemic Zwitterionic α-Amino Acid Amphiphiles in a Phospholipid Environment at the Air/Water Interface:A Grazing-Incidence X-Ray Diffraction Study"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Irina Rubinstein, Markus J.Weygand, Kristian Kjaer, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Helv. Chim. Acta 86, 3867-3874, 2003.
Abstract PDF- "Structural Characterization of Crystalline Ternary Inclusion Compounds at the Air-Water Interface"
David J. Plaut, Stephen M. Martin, Kristian Kjaer, Markus J. Weygand, Meir Lahav, Leslie Leiserowitz, Isabelle Weissbuch, Michael D. Ward
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 15923-15934, 2003.
Abstract HTML Supporting Information- "Generation of Oligopeptides of Homochiral Sequence via Topochemical Reactions within Racemic Crystals of Phenylalanine-N-Carboxyanhydride"
J. G. Nery, G. Bolbach, I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 42, 2157, 2003.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Toward Stereochemical Control, Monitoring, and Understanding of Crystal Nucleation"
I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav, L. Leiserowitz
Crystal Growth & Design 3, 125, 2003.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Homochiral Oligopeptides Via Chiral Amplification Within Two-Dimensional Crystalline Self-Assemblies at the Air-Water Interface; Relevance to Biomolecular Handedness"
I. Weissbuch, H. Zepik, G. Bolbach, E. Shavit, M. Tang, T. R. Jensen, K. Kjaer, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
Chemistry - A European J. 9, 1782, 2003.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Oligopeptides with Homochiral Sequences Generated from Racemic Precursors that Spontaneously Separate into Enantiomorphous Two-Dimensional Crystalline Domains on Water Surface"
I. Weissbuch, G. Bolbach, H. Zepik, J. Frey, E. Shavit, M. Tang, T. R. Jensen, K. Kjaer, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 124, 9093, 2002.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Chiral Amplification of Oligopeptides in Two-Dimensional Crystalline Self-Assemblies on Water"
H. Zepik, E. Shavit, M. Tang, T. R. Jensen, K. Kjaer, G. Bolbach, L. Leiserowitz, I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav
Science 295, 1266, 2002, published online 10 January 2002 in Science Express.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Crystalline self-assembly of organic molecules with metal ions at the air-aqueous solution interface. A grazing incidence X-ray scattering study"
I. Weissbuch, R. Buller, K. Kjaer, J. Als-Nielsen, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Vol 208/1-3, pp. 3-27, 2002.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Hybrid Composite of Monodisperse π-Conjugated Rod-like Organic and Semiconductor Quantum Particles"
V. Hensel, A. Godt, R. Popovitz-Biro, H. Cohen, T. R. Jensen, K. Kjaer, I. Weissbuch, E. Lifshitz, M. Lahav
Chemistry-A European J. 8, 1413, 2002.
Abstract HTML PDF- "Spontaneous Generation of Chirality via Chemistry in Two Dimensions" In: ACS Symposium Series 810, Chirality: Physical Chemistry
I. Weissbuch, L. Leiserowitz and M. Lahav
J. M. Hicks (ed.), Oxford University Press, Chapter 17, 242-253, 2002.- "Crystal Morphology Control with Tailor-Made Additives; A Stereochemical Control" In: Advances in Crystal Growth Research
I. Weissbuch, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
K. Sato, K. Nakajima, Y. Furukawa (Eds), Elsevier Science B.V.-Amsterdam, Chapter 23, 2001.- "Design and Characterization of Thin Crystalline Film Architectures at the Air-Liquid interface; Simplicity to Complexity"
I. Kuzmanko, H. Rapaport, K. Kjaer, J. Als-Nielsen, I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav and L. Leiserowitz
Chem. Rev. 114, 1659-1696, 2001.
HTML PDF- "Phase transitions and stabilization of the organized hybrid Langmuir-Blodgett films of Alkanoic Acid CdS and PbS Q-Particles"
L. Konopny, M. Berfeld, R. Popovitz-Biro, I. Weissbuch, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
Adv. Mat. 13, 580-583, 2001.
Abstract PDF- "Crystal morphology control with tailor-made additives; A stereochemical approach"
I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav, L. Leiserowitz
Advances in Crystal Growth Research, Page: 381-400, 2001.- "Crystalline self-assembly into monolayers of folded oligomers at the air/water interface"
K. Lederer, A. Godt, K. Kjaer, J. Als-Nielsen, M. Lahav, G. Wegner, L. Leiserowitz and I. Weissbuch
Chemistry-A European J. 6, 2173-2183, 2000.
Abstract PDF- "Stereochemical Studies of Chiral Systems in 2-D"
I. Weissbuch, I. Kuzmenko, M. Berfeld, L. Leiserowitz, M. Lahav
J. Org. Phys. Chem. 13, 426, 2000.
Abstract PDF- "Crystalline Architectures at the Air-Liquid Interface: From Nucleation to Engineering", In: Soft Condensed Matter: Configurations, Dynamics and Functionality
I. Kuzmanko, H. Rapaport, K. Kjaer, J. Als-Nielsen, I. Weissbuch, M. Lahav and L. Leiserowitz
A.T. Skjeltorp, S.F. Edwards (eds), Kluwer Academic Publishers, 185-217, 2000- "A Cyclic Continuous Process for Converting Conglomerates into Optically Pure Enantiomers by Crystallization and Dissolution with the Assistance of 'Tailor-made' Polymers"
D. Zbaida, M. Lahav, K. Drauz, G. Knaup and M. Kottenhahn
Tetrahedron 56, 6645 (2000)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Oriented Crystalline Monolayers and Bilayers of 2x2 Silver(I) Grid Architectures at the Air - Solution Interface: Their Assembly and Crystal Structure Elucidation"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Paul N. W. Baxter, Ivan Kuzmenko, Hagai Cohen, Sidney Cohen, Kristian Kjaer, Paul B. Howes, Jens Als-Nielsen, Jean-Marie Lehn, Leslie Leiserowitz, Meir Lahav
Chemistry, A European Journal 6, 725 (2000)
Abstract PDF- "Topotactic Release of CdS and Cd1-xMnxS from Solid Thioalkanoates with Ammonia to Yield Quantum Particles Arranged in Layers Within an Organic Composite"
S. Guo, L. Konopny, R. Popovitz-Biro, H. Cohen, M. Sirota, E. Lifshitz, M. Lahav
Adv. Mater. 12, 302 (2000)- "From Nucleation to Engineering of Crystalline Architectures at Air-Liquid Interfaces"
Hanna Rapaport, Ivan Kuzmenko, Mary Berfeld, Kristian Kjaer, Jens Als-Nielsen, Ronit Popovitz-Biro, Isabelle Weissbuch, Meir Lahav, and Leslie Leiserowitz
J. Phys. Chem. B, Feature Article, 104, 1399 (2000)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Use of Diastereomeric Interactions To Probe the Inplane Attachment of Water-Soluble Molecules to the Polar Head Groups of Langmuir Films of Cu--Amino Acid Complexes"
Maria Berfeld, Ivan Kuzmenko, Isabelle Weissbuch, Hagai Cohen, Paul B. Howes, Kristian Kjaer, Jens Als-Nielsen, Leslie Leiserowitz, and Meir Lahav
J. Phys. Chem. B 103, 6891 (1999)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Thioalkanoates as Site-Directing Nucleating Centers for the Preparation of Patterns of CdS Nanoparticles within 3-D Crystals and LB Films of Cd Alkanoates"
Shouwu Guo, Leandro Konopny, Ronit Popovitz-Biro, Hagai Cohen, Horia Porteanu, Efrat Lifshitz, and Meir Lahav
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 121, 9589 (1999)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Detection of Chiral Disorder in Langmuir Monolayers Undergoing Spontaneous Chiral Segregation"
Ivan Kuzmenko, Kristian Kjaer, Jens Als-Nielsen, Meir Lahav, and Leslie Leiserowitz
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 121, 2657 (1999)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Crystalline Cyclic Peptide Nanotubes at Interfaces"
Hanna Rapaport, Hui Sun Kim, Kristian Kjaer, Paul B. Howes, Sidney Cohen, Jens Als-Nielsen, M. Reza Ghadiri, Leslie Leiserowitz, and Meir Lahav
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 121, 1186 (1999)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Self-Assembly at the Air-Water Interface. In-Situ Preparation of Thin Films of Metal Ion Grid Architectures"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Paul N. W. Baxter, Sidney Cohen, Hagai Cohen, Kristian Kjaer, Pau B. Howes, Jens Als-Nielsen, Gary S. Hanan, Ulrich S. Schubert, Jean-Marie Lehn, Leslie Leiserowitz, and Meir Lahav
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 120, 4850 (1998)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Structural Characterization of Valinomycin and Nonactin at the Air-Solution Interface by Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction"
Hanna Rapaport, Ivan Kuzmenko, Kristian Kjaer, Paul Howes, Wim Bouwman, Jens Als-Nielsen, Leslie Leiserowitz, and Meir Lahav
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 119, 11211 (1997)
Abstract HTML PDF- "Separation of Enantiomers and Racemate Formation in Two-Dimensional Crystals at the Water Surface from Racemic - Amino Acid Amphiphiles: Design and Structure"
Isabelle Weissbuch, Maria Berfeld, Wim Bouwman, Kristian Kjaer, Jens Als-Nielsen, Meir Lahav, and Leslie Leiserowitz
J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 119, 933 (1997)
Abstract HTML PDF