Ion recognition by design based supramolecular gelators

Abstract

The newlinedissertation newlineentitled newline ION newlineRECOGNITION newlineBY newlineDESIGN-BASED newlineSUPRAMOLECULAR GELATORS embodies in detail the design and synthesis of new newlinesupramolecular soft materials (low molecular weight gelators) for selective sensing and newlinedetection of ionic species [cations, anions and zwitterions (amino acids)] of biological newlinesignificance in sol-gel medium. The present state of art particularly covers the different newlineaspects of molecular recognition through systematic incorporation of different hydrogen newlinebonding motifs as well as metal coordination sites on the gelator scaffold. Such fine newlinetuning on gelator backbone leads to the development of new LMWGs and enables us to newlineunderstand the structure property relationship in molecular association and also to build newlineup sensing materials for ionic species. newlineIn the supramolecular research domain, numerous efforts have been made in developing newlineartificial sensors for different biologically significant cationic and anionic substrates. Non newlinecovalent weak interactions (hydrogen bonding, charge-charge interactions, cation-and#960; and newlineanion and#960; interactions etc.) occurring in between the receptor molecule and the guest newlineanalyte with absorption, emission or electrochemical changes govern the basic design newlinestrategy of sensors. In recent time considerable effort is given to develop ion responsive newlinesupramolecular gelators in addition to the conventional probes. Implication of semisolid newlinegel phase to trace the recognition event is less explored and is therefore demanding. newlineSuch sensing methodology involves the phase transformation (sol-to-gel or vice versa) newlineand offers the scope of determining analytes by naked eye without any instrumental newlineaids. Apart from recognition, such compounds have widespread applications in newlinebiomedical and material science in capturing toxic materials and dyes from contaminated newlinewater etc. newline newline