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Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Synthesis and Characterization of Supramolecular Colloids
Published on: April 22, 2016
Cucurbit[6]uril-based multifunctional supramolecular assemblies: synthesis, removal of Ba(ii) and fluorescence
Xiu-Du Zhang1, Yue Zhao, Kai Chen
1Coordination Chemistry Institute, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China. wuhua@njau.edu.cn sunwy@nju.edu.cn.
Abstract:
A novel cucurbit[6]uril-based (Q[6]) supramolecular assembly {(NH4)2·Q[6]·(HDTNB)2·2H2O} (1) with a three-dimensional (3D) framework structure was successfully constructed via outer-surface interactions between Q[6] and a flexible aromatic compound, 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (H2DTNB), as a structure-directing agent. It is interesting to find that assembly 1 can selectively capture Ba(ii) cations among the common alkaline-earth metal ions of Mg(ii), Ca(ii), Sr(ii) and Ba(ii), resulting in the formation of an isomorphic 3D assembly {Ba(H2O)2Q[6]}·(HDTNB)2 (2). Furthermore, both assemblies 1 and 2 exhibit the selective sensing of Fe(iii) ions through fluorescence quenching, which has rarely been reported for Q[n]-based supramolecular assemblies.
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