Two-dimensional arrays of amphiphilic Zn²⁺-cyclens for guided molecular recognition at interfaces

The sterically guided molecular recognition of nucleobases, phosphates, adenosine, and uridine nucleotides on Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir-Blodgett monolayers of amphiphilic mono- or bis(Zn2+-cyclen)s assembled on thiolated surfaces was investigated. The stepwise selective binding of metal ions, uracil, or phosphate by dicetyl cyclen monolayers with variously tuned structures at the air/water interface was corroborated by the measurements of the corresponding LB films deposited onto quartz crystals. Two types of recognition surfaces were fabricated from Zn2+-dicetyl cyclen. The surface covered with a complex preformed in the Langmuir monolayer was capable both of imide and of phosphate binding. The similar complex formed directly in an LB film on thiolated gold was inactive with respect to imide. The surface plasmon resonance measurements evidenced the stepwise assembly of complementary nucleotides on SAM/LB templates through consecutive phosphate-Zn2+-cyclen coordination. Base pairing between nucleotides resulted in a formation of A-U bilayers comprising two complementary monolayers. Finally, we report on SAM/LB patterns designed for divalent molecular recognition of uridine phosphate by amphiphilic bis(Zn2+-cyclen).