Geometric and optical transformations of supramolecular host-guest amphiphiles

Abstract

Molecular self-assembly has been an area of recent interest due to its application in a variety of important contexts including drug delivery, regenerative medicine, energy applications, and others. Simultaneously, host-guest chemistry provides a robust and powerful mechanism for inducing switching on the molecular level. In this research, we demonstrate a new platform that combines molecular self-assembly of an amphiphilic chromophore guest molecule with its host molecule counterpart, CB[8] in water. We find that upon addition of CB[8] to a solution of the amphiphilic guest molecule, host-guest complexation occurs and a transition in the morphology of the observed self-assembled nanostructures occurs. Here we present the synthetic route to our amphiphilic guest molecule, in addition to the nanostructural characterization of the supramolecular nanostructures and the host-guest nanostructure by TEM, UV-Vis, and fluorescence spectra.