With the growing interest in synthetic cavitands, especially cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]’s), for aqueous encapsulation of hydrophobic guests, there are still many open questions relating to the effects of binding on the encapsulated molecule. Rylene dyes are well known organic chromophores that suffer from a general lack of water solubility. We prepared several derivatized, water-soluble rylene chromophores were synthesized and their spectral properties investigated. Spectral changes were able to be associated with both the location (aromatic core vs. imide) and identity of the substituent. Subsequently, the effects of encapsulation with CB[7] on these chromophores was studied, with noted enhancement of emission attributed to the interruption of an intramolecular charge-transfer event.

Investigation of CB[7] binding effects on organic chromophores

251st National Meeting (2016)

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