Ion-fuelled L-Phenylalanine controlled pumping by hybrid membrane materials

Abstract

We report organic–inorganic membrane materials for controlled translocation of ion-pairs along directional conduction pathways. The supramolecular/sol–gel combined procedure has been realised in two steps. First, the self-organization properties of 3-(ureidoarene)propyltriethoxysilane compound, 1 in aprotic solvents were determined, revealing the formation of supramolecular oligomers, in the self-assembly step. They led in a second sol–gel transcription step to hybrid membrane materials. Then, the transport of organic molecules of variable charge, like L-Phenylalanine can be directionally tuned, via ion-fuelled membrane polarization phenomena. Using this strategy, the transport of the cationic, zwitterionic and anionic forms of the L-Phenylalanine can be controlled and directionally oriented from the feed to strip phase and vice versa.