Binding of TNT to amplifying fluorescent polymers: an ab initio and molecular dynamics study

Molecular modeling techniques were employed to study the interaction of trinitrotoluene with an amplifying fluorescent polymer used in explosive sensor devices. The pentiptycene moiety present in these polymers appears to be the most energetically favorable binding site for trinitrotoluene. Surface features of the polymer suggest that the small cavity feature of the pentiptycene moiety may be more available for binding to analyte compounds due to steric crowding about the large cavity. Binding energies between model binding sites of the polymer and various analyte compounds were more rigorously estimated by semiempirical and ab initio techniques. Binding energies were found to be largest with trinitrotoluene and other nitroaromatic compounds. Electrostatic and π-stacking interactions between trinitrotoluene and the model host were investigated by studying a series of modified host compounds.