Issue 47, 2017

A fluorescent combinatorial logic gate with Na+, H+-enabled OR and H+-driven low-medium-high ternary logic functions

Abstract

A novel fluorescent molecular logic gate with a ‘fluorophorespacer1receptor1spacer2receptor2’ format is demonstrated in 1 : 1 (v/v) methanol/water. The molecule consists of an anthracene fluorophore, and tertiary alkyl amine and N-(2-methoxyphenyl)aza-15-crown-5 ether receptors. In the presence of threshold concentrations of H+ and Na+, the molecule switches ‘on’ as an AND logic gate with a fluorescence quantum yield of 0.21 with proton and sodium binding constants of log βH+ = 9.0 and log βNa+ = 3.2, respectively. At higher proton levels, protonation also occurs at the anilinic nitrogen atom ether with a log βH+ = 4.2, which allows for Na+, H+-enabled OR (OR + AND circuit) and H+-driven ternary logic functions. The reported molecule is compared and contrasted to classic anthracene-based Na+ and H+ logic gates. We propose that such logic-based molecules could be useful tools for probing the vicinity of Na+, H+ antiporters in biological systems.

Graphical abstract: A fluorescent combinatorial logic gate with Na+, H+-enabled OR and H+-driven low-medium-high ternary logic functions

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 7 2017
Accepted
16 11 2017
First published
16 11 2017

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017,15, 10116-10121

A fluorescent combinatorial logic gate with Na+, H+-enabled OR and H+-driven low-medium-high ternary logic functions

J. M. A. Spiteri, C. J. Mallia, G. J. Scerri and D. C. Magri, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2017, 15, 10116 DOI: 10.1039/C7OB01828B

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