Volume 42, Issue 24 pp. 3331-3336
Concise Report

Macrocyclic Calixpyridinium as a Photoacid for the Construction of Photoresponsive Supramolecular Materials

Kui Wang

Corresponding Author

Kui Wang

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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Si-Chen Liu

Si-Chen Liu

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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Yu-Ting Wang

Yu-Ting Wang

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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Xin Meng

Xin Meng

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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Jian-Wen Wei

Jian-Wen Wei

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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Xin Yan

Xin Yan

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Structure and Performance for Functional Molecules, College of Chemistry, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387 China

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First published: 04 September 2024
Citations: 1

Comprehensive Summary

pH is an important stimuli-responsive signal because deprotonation-protonation process is crucial for many life functions. Photoacid is a kind of photoresponsive group that can release protons upon irradiation. This property makes invasive pH control can be replaced by noninvasive light control. However, photoacid is rare. In this work, macrocyclic calixpyridinium was found to be used as a photoacid to release protons from acidic methylene under the irradiation of a 254 nm UV lamp. When the solution of calixpyridinium−disulfonated xantphos aggregates were irradiated by a 254 nm portable UV lamp, disulfonated xantphos was able to receive the protons released from calixpyridinium. This noninvasive photocontrolled proton transfer not only replaces an invasive pH regulation but also achieves a synergistic function. The deprotonation of calixpyridinium and the protonation of disulfonated xantphos can occur simultaneously to disrupt the aggregates. Moreover, the photoresponsive disassembly is reversible by heating. This photoresponsive material was further applied as a photocontrolled release model. In addition, a dissipative assembly was successfully designed based on this photoresponsive disassembly. This study supplies a generalized strategy to construct pH-responsive biocompatible materials with light-control properties by using macrocyclic calixpyridinium and its matched various guests in water.

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