Aqueous recognition of purine and pyrimidine bases by an anthracene-based macrocyclic receptor.

A water-soluble bis-anthracenyl tetralactam binds biogenic heterocycles with high affinities in aqueous solution, rising to 107 M-1 for the purine hypoxanthine. Recognition occurs through a combination of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, and results in fluorescence changes which suggest applications in sensing.