Acyclic Cucurbit[<i>n</i>]uril‐Type Receptors: Aromatic Wall Extension Enhances Binding Affinity, Delivers Helical Chirality, and Enables Fluorescence Sensing

Abstract

We report the linear extension from M1 to M2 to anthracene walled M3 which adopts a helical conformation (X-ray) to avoid unfavorable interactions between sidewalls. M3 is water soluble (=30 mm) and displays enhanced optical properties (ϵ=1.28×10⁵ m^-1 cm^-1 , λ_max =370 nm) relative to M2. The binding properties of M3 toward guests 1-29 were examined by ¹ H NMR and ITC. The M3⋅guest complexes are stronger than the analogous complexes of M2 and M1. The enhanced binding of M3 toward neuromuscular blockers 25, 27-29 suggests that M3 holds significant promise as an in vivo reversal agent. The changes in fluorescence observed for M3⋅guest complexes are a function of the relative orientation of the anthracene sidewalls, guest concentration, K_a , and guest electronics which rendered M3 a superb component of a fluorescence sensing array. The work establishes M3 as a next generation sequestering agent and a versatile component of fluorescence sensors.