Themed collection The Mechanics of Supramolecular Chemistry

We are delighted to present this collection of articles to celebrate Eric V. Anslyn’s 60th birthday.

Activatable molecualr agents that intergrate diagnosis and treatment modalities have attracted great attention due to its abilities of personalized therapy and real-time monitoring of therapeutic outcome.

An exhaustive and succinct minireview of the various reported approaches to the non-covalent surface modification of carbon nano-onions (CNOs).

This review describes the synthesis and application of shapeshifting molecules, whose covalent skeletons dynamically reconfigure in response to their surroundings.

Fluorescent probes are useful molecular tools. We summarize the recent progress with the “covalent-assembly” design principle, which warrants high-performance fluorescence probes exhibiting a highly sensitive turn-on signal from the dark background.

We review the recent developments in the growing field of platinum-based, coordination-driven self-assembly, and bringing together the key results.

We discuss and review the strategies of metal-based receptors targeting phosphate.

This review presents comprehensive discussions on the recent development in supramolecular materials based on luminogens with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics.

We review recent advances in the design and application of excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) based fluorescent probes. These sensors and imaging agents (probes) are important in biology, physiology, pharmacology, and environmental science.

Binding saccharides with non-covalent interactions is challenging, especially in the natural medium of water, but synthetic carbohydrate receptors can be surprisingly effective.

Molecular logic gates, now with more than two decades of collective exploration, are poised for practical applications.

A meeting point for entities from chemistry, enzymology and computer science.

An efficient and functional group tolerant route to access hydroxy 1,8-naphthalimides has been used to synthesise a range of mono- and disubstituted hydroxy-1,8-naphthalimides with fluorescence emissions covering the visible spectrum.

A new ER-targeting fluorescent probe for ˙OH is developed and applied to imaging ˙OH generation as well as lipid droplet formation in ER stress.

Principal component analysis of a fluorescent supramolecular sensor array based on graphene oxide can be used to differentiate ebola virus from marburg virus and receptor-extensive vesicular stomatitis virus.

β-Cyclodextrin modified gold nanoclusters with near-infrared emission were facilely and successfully prepared based on a one-pot and green supramolecular macrocycle modification strategy.

A ratiometric fluorescent probe (PNA) has been developed to sense and image bacterial penicillin G acylase in addition to the high-throughput screening of PGA inhibitors.

We have established a near-infrared two-photon fluorescent probe for the detection of CE2 with high selectivity and sensitivity.

A dynamic combinatorial library was shown to provide a direct method of sensing methylated arginine and lysine due to differences in speciation. This provides the first sensor array for all the methylation states of arginine.

Stimuli-responsive chemical communication is enabled in a self-sorted system of cucurbituril host–guest complexes.

The non-covalent radiolabelling of new graphene oxide-bis(thiosemicarbazonato) nanohybrids with gallium-68 and zirconium-89 ions is reported herein for the first time.

A simple assembly system of phospholipid bilayer and probes via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions was constructed.

This study establishes the applicability of imine-based dynamic combinatorial chemistry to discover non-covalent ligands for RNA targets.

The 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide Tröger's base based AIE-active supramolecular scaffold was synthesized and employed as a highly selective and sensitive fluorescent sensor for nitroaromatic explosives sensing in competitive aqueous media.

A new naphthalimide based NADH mimic that functions as a fully reversible fluorescent “on off” probe for redox state has been synthesised and evaluated.

We report the synthesis of a crown ether-appended calix[2]triazolium[2]arene receptor that shows excellent selectivity for H₂PO₄⁻ and the binding ability and mode of the receptor to H₂PO₄⁻ were demonstrated by ¹H NMR studies and DFT calculation.

A 2,3-dialkoxynaphthalene-based naphthocage was synthesized. It shows similarly strong binding affinity to organic cations as the 2,6-dialkoxynaphthalene-based naphthocage but different guest preference and conformational response.

We have developed an ultrasensitive assay for GSH in order to help uncover its role in neuronal development.

Here, a reaction-based indicator displacement hydrogel assay (RIA) was developed for the detection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) via the oxidative release of the optical reporter Alizarin Red S (ARS).

A simple nanostructured chemosensing ensemble for fluorescent turn-on sensing of ATP in aqueous solutions and inside living cells using the indicator displacement assay (IDA) method results in a very low detection limit of 6.8 nM.

A fluorogenic 2D material has been developed for the imaging of PROCR, a potential biomarker for triple-negative breast cancer.

The coordination polymers of Ag⁺ with a β-turn containing chiral thiol ligand exhibit supramolecular chirality showing simultaneously the majority rules effect (MRE) and racemate rules effect (RRE).

Water soluble macrocyclic squaramides bind selectively to sulfate in aqueous–DMSO mixtures across a pH range from 3.2–14.

Herein, we exemplify BODIPY-βgal as a ratiometric light-up NIR probe for the quantitative sensing of endogenous β-gal distribution in living cells, and real-time tracking of β-gal activity in tumor-bearing nude mice.

The 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide Tröger's base functionalized triazine covalent organic polymer was synthesised and employed as a “turn-on” fluorescent sensor for the discriminative sensing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

A water-soluble turn-on fluorescent probe has been developed for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Cys.

A probe for imaging of mitochondrial carboxylesterase and pH has been developed for the visualization of carboxylesterase-mediated acidification in hepatoma cells and hepatic tissues during the administration of antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs.

We developed a small molecule CDr15, which has eDNA selectivity of bacterial biofilm.

A colorimetric and fluorogenic sensor exhibiting rapid, specific and sensitive detection of potentially toxic nitrite in food is described.

A reversibly mechanochromic conjugated polymer, based on the thermal polymerization of a diphenyldisulfide-containing bisdiacetylene, was developed.

Adjustable chiral self-sorting and self-discriminating behaviour between diamond-like Tröger's base-linked cryptands was reported, which could be regulated by external stimuli easily.

Pyrrole based organic cages for selective CO₂ capture.

A far-red fluorescent probe for sensing laccase in fungi and its application in developing an effective biocatalyst for the biosynthesis of antituberculous dicoumarin.

A naphthalimide-based ratiometric fluorescent probe was designed for sensing (and inhibitor screening) of pathogenic bacterial glucosyltransferases associated with the formation of dental caries.

NAG-targeting fluorescent probe for sensing proximal tubule cells in patient's crude urine and precision diagnosis for kidney injury unit.

We report a naphthoimidazolium-cholesterol derivative (NI-chol 1) as a fluorescence based chemosensor for chiral recognition via imidazolium (C–H)⁺–anion binding.

An ESIPT-based ‘AND’ logic fluorescence probe (GSH-ABAH) was developed for the simultaneous detection of ONOO⁻ ‘AND’ biological thiols.

In this work, we set out to develop an ER directed ESIPT-based ONOO⁻ ratiometric fluorescent probe (ABAH-LW).

ESIPT-based fluorescence probes are emerging as an attractive tool for the detection of biologically relevant analytes owing to their unique photophysical properties.

A novel fluorescence-based scaffold was developed enabling the production of ‘AND’ based fluorescence probes – ROS/RNS and a second analyte.

Heat stroke is a lethal condition which can cause dysfunction in the central nervous system, multi-organ damage and even death.

Two ‘turn on’ TCF-based fluorescence probes were developed for the detection of biological thiols (TCF-GSH and TCFCl-GSH).

A fluorogenic 2D glycoprobe based on poly-cyclodextrin and thin-layer manganese dioxide has been developed for the targeted and stimulus-responsive imaging of cancer cells.

Imaging active PPIases in live cells with a small molecular probe.

We have developed a green and robust fluorogenic (λ_ex = 410 nm, λ_em = 510 nm) cellulose membrane using graphene oxide (GO) as a construct for simultaneous copper ion recognition and filtration at environmentally relevant levels.

A simple ESIPT-based fluorescence probe (HMBT-LW) was developed for the detection of superoxide (O₂˙⁻).

The current work proposes a novel method for accurate pattern recognition of (mono- and di-) amines and determination of enantiomeric excess (ee) using molecular self-assembly.

Science still does not have the ability to accurately predict changes in ligand affinity induced by proximal charged groups.

Discrimination of nucleoside phosphate anions in the first supramolecular sensing array using luminescent lanthanide complexes.

A tweezer-like subphthalocyanine-based ensemble has been developed for the selective recognition of fullerenes. The physicochemical properties of both the photoactive receptor and its inclusion complexes with fullerenes have been investigated.

DNA–nanoparticle conjugates can be synthesized with independent control over size, valence and elemental composition using a template-based strategy.

Herein, we report a protein-based hybridization strategy that exploits the host–guest chemistry of HSA (human serum albumin) to solubilize the otherwise cell impermeable ONOO⁻ fluorescent probe Pinkment-OAc.

Two endoplasmic reticulum (ER) targeting probes were developed to image mobile Zn²⁺ to help understand Zn²⁺ related biological processes in the ER.

Theranostic nanoprobes (SYL NPs) prepared from a newly designed NIR-II fluorophore and FDA approved DSPE-mPEG5000 were well tolerated and exhibited multifunctional potential in diagnosis (photoacoustic & fluorescence imaging) and phototherapy in animal models.

The tumour switches on the NIR-AZA emission for fluorescence guided surgery.

Probe C7 for the first time presents different modes of fluorescence signals to both nanomolar and micromolar concentrations of HOCl.

We have developed a novel AND logic based fluorescence probe for the simultaneous detection of ONOO⁻ and GSH (GSH-PF3).

Fluorescent logic gates with benzocrown ethers attached at the imide naphthalimide exhibit synergistic binding of Na⁺ and K⁺ in aqueous methanol and water.

A series of melatonin receptor agonists prove capable of templating soft matter assemblies with concomitant enhancement of the material's surface active properties in water.

A fluorescent macromolecular chemosensor, built from readily available components, performs chemical fingerprinting of carboxylate anions on low-cost, disposable paper supports.