Supramolecular complexes of tetrapyrrolic macrocycles: A basis for developing new molecular technologies

Abstract

Developing new effective means for the real-time detection of chemical and biochemical species by using sensors is one of the most significant problems in modern science. The physicochemical properties of the sensing agent used to generate the diagnostic signal are central to determining the overall performance of a chemical sensor. By choosing one or another agent, it is possible to vary the sensor selectivity, endurance, and response time in the presence of the analyzed compound in the medium. The way the initial chemical signal is transformed into an analytical one that can be directly used for a subsequent analysis is also of great importance, because it largely determines the ease of production and exploitation of the sensing device. Representatives of the tetrapyrrolic family have characteristic absorption and fluorescence spectra that can be used to transform the initial diagnostic response into an optical sensor signal. Along with this, these compounds can be also used as a source of the initial analytical signal because they are able to interact with a number of low molecular substances forming molecular complexes. This article reviews current approaches for producing supramolecular receptors based on tetrapyrrolic compounds and analyzes the prospects for their further application in the development of new molecular technologies such as luminescence molecular detectors, pH-switches, gas sensors, etc.