Reversible Molecular Switch of Acridine Red by Triarylpyridine-Modified Cyclodextrin

Reversible dynamic optical sensing based on coumarin modified β-cyclodextrin for glutathione in living cells

Coumarin acting as an optical probe was modified on ethylenediamine β-cyclodextrin, which not only enhanced its molecular binding affinity to glutathione (GSH) by a reversible Michael addition, showing 113 times more affinity than that of coumarin itself, but also achieved dynamic real-time sensing of glutathione in living HeLa cells.

Regiocontrolled synthesis of 2,4,6-triarylpyridines from methyl ketones, electron-deficient acetylenes and ammonium acetate

A novel one-pot two-step approach for the synthesis of 2,4,6-triarylpyridines via t-BuOK/DMSO-promoted C-vinylation of a variety of methyl ketones with electron-deficient acetylenes (alkynones) followed by a cyclization of the in situ generated unsaturated 1,5-dicarbonyl species with ammonium acetate has been developed. This approach possesses competitive advantages such as high regioselectivity, available starting materials and the absence of transition-metal catalysts, oxidants and undesirable byproducts. A wide synthetic utility of the developed approach was demonstrated by the synthesis of trisubstituted, tetrasubstituted and fused pyridines.

Acriflavine-immobilized eggshell membrane as a new solid-state biosensor for Sudan I-IV detection based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer

A novel solid-surface fluorescence biosensor for rapid detection of Sudan I-IV was proposed based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing acriflavine (AY) on the eggshell membrane (ESM) with glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. FRET mechanism was demonstrated by using AY and Sudan dyes as donor and acceptor respectively, an efficient energy transfer in the present system was indicated by the sufficient spectral overlap integral (J) and proper Förster critical distance (R₀). Under optimum conditions, the fluorescence of the AY-ESM could be efficiently quenched by Sudan I-IV and the corresponding linear range was 0.5-60μM with the detection limits (3σ/slope) of 0.16, 0.26, 0.21 and 0.17μM respectively. Compared to the detection of Sudan dyes in solution-state, the membrane biosensor exhibited advantages of low detection limits, high sensitivity and selectivity, as well as excellent stability. Recovery tests in spiked real samples also achieved satisfactory results.

Tuning the constrained photophysics of a pyrazoline dye 3-naphthyl-1-phenyl-5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2-pyrazoline inside the cyclodextrin nanocavities: A detailed insight via experimental and theoretical approach

The modulation in the photophysics of a pyrazoline dye 3-naphthyl-1-phenyl-5-(4-carboxyphenyl)-2-pyrazoline (NPCP), when it drifts from bulk water into the nanocages of aqueous cyclodextrin solutions was investigated. The intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorescence band intensity was found to increase with a blue shift in the presence of cyclodextrins. The results from ¹H NMR and ¹HH COSY NMR spectral analysis clearly points out the position of pyrazoline ring inside the cavity and its role in complexation process. A quantitative assessment of the emission intensity data on Benesi-Hildebrand (B-H) equation along with ESI-MS spectra reveals the probable stoichiometry of NPCP-CD complexes. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies were conducted for β/γ cyclodextrin associated inclusion complexes of NPCP. The results obtained by computational studies are in good relation with the data obtained through experimental methods and both ascertain the encapsulation of NPCP into cyclodextrins.

One-pot synthesis of 2,4,6-triarylpyridines from β-nitrostyrenes, substituted salicylic aldehydes and ammonium acetate

The diversity-oriented synthesis of 2,4,6-trisubstituted pyridines via K₂CO₃-promoted multicomponent reactions of the β-nitrostyrenes, available substituted salicylic aldehydes and ammonium acetate have been developed.

OEGylated cyclodextrin-based thermoresponsive polymers and their switchable inclusion complexation with fluorescent dyes

OEGylated cyclodextrin-based polymers exhibit characteristic thermoresponsiveness and switchable inclusion ability towards fluorescent dyes.

Photo-responsive pseudorotaxanes and assemblies

Optical responses for understanding the dynamic conformational change(s) in solution during the stimuli responsive complexation and decomplexation process(es) in a supramolecular assembly.

Cooperative Binding of Cyclodextrin Dimers to Isoflavone Analogues Elucidated by Free Energy Calculations

Dimerization of cyclodextrin (CD) molecules is an elementary step in the construction of CD-based nanostructured materials. Cooperative binding of CD cavities to guest molecules facilitates the dimerization process and, consequently, the overall stability and assembly of CD nanostructures. In the present study, all three dimerization modes (head-to-head, head-to-tail, and tail-to-tail) of β-CD molecules and their binding to three isoflavone drug analogues (puerarin, daidzin, and daidzein) were investigated in explicit water surrounding using molecular dynamics simulations. Total and individual contributions from the binding partners and solvent environment to the thermodynamics of these binding reactions are quantified in detail using free energy calculations. Cooperative drug binding to two CD cavities gives an enhanced binding strength for daidzin and daidzein, whereas for puerarin no obvious enhancement is observed. Head-to-head dimerization yields the most stable complexes for inclusion of the tested isoflavones (templates) and may be a promising building block for construction of template-stabilized CD nanostructures. Compared to the case of CD monomers, the desolvation of CD dimers and entropy changes upon complexation prove to be influential factors of cooperative binding. Our results shed light on key points of the design of CD-based supramolecular assemblies. We also show that structure-based calculation of binding thermodynamics can quantify stabilization caused by cooperative effects in building blocks of nanostructured materials.