Anion sensors utilizing m-terphenyl-scaffolded bis(imidazolium) receptors

ORGN 479

Rhett C. Smith, rhett@clemson.edu and Gabriela Galdamez. Department of Chemistry, Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET), Clemson University, 479 Hunter Labs, Clemson, SC 29634
Supramolecular host compounds featuring imidazolium residues arranged in a geometry predisposed to selectively bind anion hosts have been actively pursued for colorimetric and fluorescent sensor applications. The current work reports the preparation of bis(imidazolium) host compounds built upon the versatile and readily-prepared m-terphenyl scaffold. By placing imidazolium units at appropriate distances, a host compound with impressive selectivity for iodide anions has been delineated. The binding event has been probed by UV-vis, fluorescence, X-ray structure determination, NMR, and calculations. The effect of subtle structure variation on the scaffold at positions remote from the actual binding site are able to influence the binding affinity and even switch the anion that is preferentially bound by the host molecule. Host molecules were designed to facilitate strong anion-pi system interactions, and chromophore-appended variations are being prepared to afford anion-responsive materials absorbing in the visible spectrum.