Biomimetic receptor-modified chromophores as biosensors

CHED 290

Robert J. Gilliard, rgillia@clemson.edu, Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, 479 Hunter Labs, Clemson, SC 29634 and Rhett C. Smith, rhett@clemson.edu, Department of Chemistry, Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), Clemson University, 479 Hunter Labs, Clemson, SC 29634.
Chemists have prepared small molecule bimetallic complexes that successfully model a variety of enzyme active sites. Such models are known to bind a variety of pathologically and pathophysiologically involved species. The ability to monitor the spaciotemporal distribution of such species would further our understanding of their biological roles. We have prepared fluorescent sensors comprised by fluorophore-appended dizinc phosphohydrolase model complexes. These constructs bind anions with concomitant transduction of optical properties, thus acting as fluorescent and/or colorimetric sensors. This contribution will focus on the synthesis, characterization, and optical response to analytes exhibited by small molecule poly(p-phenyleneethynylene) model complexes incorporating dipicolylamine zinc-binding subunits.