SCAN: Molecular recognition of anions and neutral molecules by heteroditopic receptors

SCAN Seminar

Speaker: Nicolas Bernier, Post-doc

Laboratory: Coordination and Supramolecular Chemistry Lab

Title: Molecular recognition of anions and neutral molecules by heteroditopic receptors

Abstract

Recognition of anions is a vigorous research field of Supramolecular Chemistry due to the important role of these charged species in biological, industrial, and environmental fields. Recent developments focused on the use of artificial receptors as membrane transport agents for chloride in biological systems, ion-pair receptors, sensors for the detection of biologically important anionic species, anion template reactions, etc. In this area, the design and synthesis of three-dimensional heteroditopic receptors for selective recognition of anions and/or cations and zwitterionic molecules remain a challenging task.
Here we describe the synthesis of a new macrobicyclic receptor displaying two different binding subunits. One is formed by a diamine/diamide moiety suitable for anion recognition and the second by an ether linkage favorable to cation complexation. The ability of this ditopic receptor to recognize and extract alkali halide salts, the affinity to recognize halides in different conditions will be presented and discussed.

Short CV:
Since jan. 2008: Post-doctoral position in the laboratory "Coordination and Supramolecular Chemistry", at ITQB, under the supervision of Prof. Rita Delgado.

2004-2007 - Ph. D. Thesis in the laboratory "Chimie, Electrochimie Moléculaire et Analytique", Université de Bretagne Occidentale, France, under the supervision of Prof. Henri Handel.

July 2004: Master 2 degree in organic chemistry, Université de Bretagne Occidentale, FRANCE, Trainee in the laboratory "Chimie, Electrochimie Moléculaire et Analytique", Université de Bretagne Occidentale, France, under the supervision of Dr. Raphaël Tripier and Prof. Henri Handel.