Molecular sensors using a resonance Raman template

Abstract

The potential use of resonance Raman spectroscopy as a molecular sensing tool is illustrated using a metalloporphyrin template and pyridine as an analyte. The equilibrium binding constant for the axial binding of pyridine to zinc tetraphenylporphyrin has been measured using resonance Raman spectroscopy. Although no new peaks are observed and the porphyrin peaks do not shift position, the quantification is made possible by the selective resonance enhancement of the template vibrations. The value for log k was determined by resonance Raman to be 3.65 ± 0.32, which compares well with previously published values estimated using absorption data. Values for log k were determined for a series of related compounds, the picolines, and these also compare favourably with those previously reported.