Chemistry. 2018 Jan 24;24(5):1010-1019. doi: 10.1002/chem.201703630. Epub 2017 Oct 26.

Environmental Gas Sensing with Cavitands.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)

Roberta Pinalli, Alessandro Pedrini, Enrico Dalcanale

PMID: 28949043 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201703630

Abstract

Environmental gas sensing needs stringent sensor requirements in terms of sensitivity, selectivity and ruggedness. One of the major issues to be addressed is combining in a single device the conflicting requirements of molecular-level selectivity and low-ppb sensitivity. The exploitation of synthetic molecular receptors as sensing materials is particularly attractive to address the selectivity issue, to single out the desired analytes in the presence of overwhelming amounts of interferents. This minireview summarizes the strategies in environmental gas and vapor sensing using molecular receptors as selective hosts for specific analytes, with the main focus on cavitands. In particular, we highlight the use of these macrocycles as selective preconcentrator units to be integrated into portable devices for environmental monitoring. Depending on the class of analytes to be detected, the molecular recognition properties of cavitands can be manipulated through the proper choice of the bridging groups at the upper rim, and their transducer integration can be implemented through the manifold functionalization options at the lower rim.

© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Keywords: BTEX; calixarenes; cavitands; cyclodextrins; environmental air monitoring; gas sensors

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Review