Self-Assembly of Anionic Porphyrins and Alkaline or Alkaline Earth Metal Ions Mediated by Cucurbit[7,8]uril

• Published in: Chemphyschem Vol. 14; no. 5; pp. 1003 - 1008
• Main Authors: Lei, Wanhua, Jiang, Guoyu, Zhou, Qianxiong, Hou, Yuanjun, Zhang, Baowen, Cheng, Xuexin, Wang, Xuesong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 02.04.2013; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Chemistry; cucurbiturils; drug delivery; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; porphyrins; self-assembly; supramolecular chemistry; Self assembly; Nitrogen heterocycle; cucurbiturils; Drug carrier; drug delivery; porphyrins; Alkaline earth metal ion; self-assembly; Molecular assembly; Porphyrin; Supramolecular structure; supramolecular chemistry; Biomedical imaging; Cucurbituril
• ISSN: 1439-4235; 1439-7641
• DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201201025

Nanoscaled coordination polymers based on biologically prevalent ions have potential applications in drug delivery and biomedical imaging. Herein, coordination polymer nanoparticles of anionic porphyrins, including meso‐tetra(4‐carboxyphenyl)‐porphyrin (H2TCPP4−) and meso‐tetra(4‐sulfonatophenyl)‐porphyrin (H2TPPS4−), and alkaline or alkaline earth metal cations, such as K+ and Ca2+, were constructed in aqueous solution in the presence of cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) or cucurbit[8]uril (CB8). UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were applied to explore the assembly and particle formation of porphyrin anions and metal cations mediated by CBn. The particle size depends on the kinds of CBn and metal cations and their concentrations. The uptake of H2TPPS4− particles by tumor cells (A549 cells) was found to be more efficient than H2TPPS4− at 37 °C, showing the application potential of such assembled particles in biology and medicine. Coordination polymer nanoparticles of anionic porphyrins and alkaline or alkaline earth metal cations are constructed in aqueous solution in the presence of cucurbit[7,8]uril, providing a new strategy for the development of functional nanoparticles with potential applications in biology and medicine.