TUNABLE PHOTORESPONSIVE SUPRAMOLECULAR SYSTEMS

Photoresponsive supramolecular systems based on the photochemical and photophysical properties of the anthracene ring have been designed and investigated in particular for their strong fluorescence dependence upon conformational effects, modulated by temperature, solvent polarity and complexation of charged species. Anthracenophanes (crown-ethers, cryptands) were shown to act as sensitive and specific probes for cation detection in diluted media and to be especially well suited for the study of oriented weak interactions between pi-clouds and heavy cations (Ag(I), Tl(I)...). In addition, a simple molecule, 2,3-didecyloxyanthracene, was found to be a gelating agent for alcohols, even at low concentration; the temperature dependent electronic absorption and fluorescence emission properties of the medium are suggestive of the microscopic organization of these new molecular assemblies.