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Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Probing the Structure and Dynamics of Interfacial Water with Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy
Published on: May 27, 2018
Tricyclic octaurea "Temples" for the recognition of polar molecules in water
Claire S Webster1, Federica Balduzzi1, Anthony P Davis1
1University of Bristol, School of Chemistry, Cantock's Close, Bristol, BS8 1TS, UK. anthony.davis@bristol.ac.uk.
Abstract:
Two water-soluble tricyclic "Temple" macrocycles featuring pyrene roof/floor units and bis-urea spacers have been synthesised and studied as receptors for aromatic compounds in aqueous media. The tricycles show good selectivity for methylated purine alkaloids such as caffeine versus unsubstituted heterocycles such as adenine and indole. Binding is signalled by major changes in fluorescence, apparently due to the break-up of intramolecular excimers. The formation of excimers implies cavity collapse in the absence of guests explaining why, unlike an earlier relative, these receptors do not bind carbohydrates. Naphthalenediimides (NDIs) have also been studied as geometrically complementary guests, and indeed bind especially strongly (Ka > 107 M-1); this powerful and selective association suggests potential applications in supramolecular self-assembly.
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