Photophysical studies on the noncovalent interaction of thioflavin T with cucurbit[n]uril macrocycles

Noncovalent interaction of Thioflavin T (ThT) with versatile macrocyclic host molecules, namely, cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) and cucurbit[5]uril (CB5), has been investigated in aqueous solutions by photophysical methods. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence studies illustrate significant enhancements/modifications in the ThT fluorescence yield, lifetime, and spectral features on interaction with the CBs and are assigned due to the formation of 1:1 and 2:1 complexes between the CBs and the ThT. The high binding constant values for the 1:1 complex (K(1) approximately 10(5) M(-1)) indicate the strong ion-dipole interaction between the host and guest molecules, whereas the 2:1 complex formation is mainly driven by weaker forces like hydrophobic interaction as evident from the lower binding constants (K(2) approximately 10(3) M(-1)). From the characteristic differences in the photophysical properties of the CB7-ThT and CB5-ThT complexes, it has been adjudged that ThT forms an inclusion complex with CB7 whereas with CB5, the interaction is through an exclusion complex formation. These contentions have been further verified by the rotational relaxation dynamics, NMR, and quantum chemical calculations on CB-ThT systems. The present results have also been compared with those reported for the dye in the presence of cyclodextrin hosts.