Directory
Cryptophanes: Chemistry and complexation properties.
Cryptophanes: Chemistry and complexation properties.
Cryptophanes are known for their extraordinary complexation properties towards small neutral or charged molecules. For example, methane can be recognized by cryptophane-A. Because of its importance in environmental chemistry, its detection, storage and transformation are presently very active research topics. The cavity of cryptophane-A is well suited for small gaseous guests and we have investigated the detection of CH4 using original devices.
Xenon-cryptophane complexes.
This section is related to the bio-sensor project and is the necessary upstream work for further developments in bio-sensing. We will first present our results on the complexation properties of xenon gas by cryptophanes in organic solution and then in aqueous media. We must also underline the discovery of a new cryptophane-111 optimized for xenon complexation that is still actively investigated.
Bio-sensoring with xenon-cryptophane complexes.
Recent developments to functionalize cryptophanes stimulated the development of new molecules for the encapsulation of xenon for biomedical imaging by NMR. Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR can detect low-concentration analytes by means of a xenon-biosensor that consists in a water-soluble cryptophane-A that encapsulates the xenon.
Chiral cryptophanes and their properties
Over the past few years, we have developed a novel approach to prepare enantiopure cryptophanes and to study their chiroptical properties by Electronic Circular Dichroism (ECD) and Vibrational Circular Dichroism (VCD).