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Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Photolysis of an amphiphilic assembly by calixarene-induced aggregation
Yi-Xuan Wang1, Ying-Ming Zhang1, Yu Liu1
1Department of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Elemento-Organic Chemistry, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, P. R. China.
Abstract:
Photosensitizers generally show great tendency for self-aggregation in aqueous media, leading to quenched fluorescence and lower photosensitizing ability. Herein, we report that amphiphilic anthracene is highly photoreactive after aggregation induced by p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene in water. The formation of a host-guest supramolecular assembly and the photolysis of the anthryl core are identified by UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, the assembly exhibited efficient photolysis with visible light in the presence of exogenous photosensitizers. This approach could be extended to various photoresponsive self-assemblies and applications in phototherapy and the design of photodegradable materials.
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