Pillar(5)arenes

Pillar[n]arenes are tubular molecules able to bind smaller molecules inside them. Pillar[5]arenes were first synthesised in 2008 and have since shown great potential to be used as sensor molecules.  

Project timeframe

The project began in 2012 and is ongoing.

Project aims

Pillar[5]arenes are being functionalised so that they can be bound to surfaces and used as sensors for chemical species as diverse as lithium cations and odoriferous biogenic amines which signal food spoilage.

Pillarenes-x-ray-and-data

X-Ray structure of a pillar[5]arene-Na+ complex (left) and data illustrating Li+-selectivity (right)

Project findings and impact

Pillar[5]arenes have been incorporated into graphite electrodes where they selectively detect sodium cations across the clinically relevant concentration range. Other derivatives function as low pH sensors in PVC membranes, as lithium cation selective modifiers to gold electrodes and as sensors for linear biogenic amines. Further work is investigating their potential to act as ‘supramolecular protecting groups’.

Research team

Raghu Kothur

Megi Kamenica

Bhavik A Patel

Ian A Gass

Ian R Cooper

Peter J Cragg

Output

Synthesis and applications of copillar[5]arene dithiols, RR Kothur, F Fucassi, G Dichello, L Doudet, W Abdalaziz, BA Patel, GWV Cave, IA Gass, DK Sarker, SV Mikhalovsky and PJ Cragg*, Supramol Chem, 2016, DOI: 10.1080/10610278.2015.1111375

Pillar[n]arene-based chemical sensors, RR Kothur, BA Patel and PJ Cragg*, Sci Lett, 2015, 4, article #72 (review)

A low pH sensor from an esterified pillar[5]arene, RR Kothur, J Hall, BA Patel, CL Leong, MG Boutelle and PJ Cragg*, Chem Comm, 2014, 50, 852-854

Detection of clinically important cations by a pillar[5]arene-modified electrochemical sensor, LE Dube, BA Patel, A Fagan-Murphy, RR Kothur and PJ Cragg*, Chem Sensor, 2013, 3, article #18

Pillar[5]arenes: fascinating cyclophanes with a bright future, PJ Cragg* and K Sharma, Chem Soc Rev, 2012, 43, 597-607 (review – over 200 citations)

Partners

Gareth Cave (Nottingham Trent University)

Martyn Boutelle (Imperial College