Molecules (Apr 2019)
Investigating the Influence of Steric Hindrance on Selective Anion Transport
Abstract
A series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkyl tren based tris-thiourea anion transporters were synthesised and their anion binding and transport properties studied. Overall, increasing the steric bulk of the substituents resulted in improved chloride binding and transport abilities. Including a macrocycle in the scaffold enhanced the selectivity of chloride transport in the presence of fatty acids, by reducing the undesired H+ flux facilitated by fatty acid flip-flop. This study demonstrates the benefit of including enforced steric hindrance and encapsulation in the design of more selective anion receptors.
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