Triton X-100 enhances ion-pair-driven molecular recognition in aqueous media. Further work on a chemosensor for inositol trisphosphate

Molecular recognition in water based on ion-pairing is hampered by competition from the solvent. We have reported that synthetic receptor 1 recognizes inositol trisphosphate (IP3) with a binding constant of 10(8) M-1 in methanol. In this paper, instead of working in methanol, we report that the surfactant Triton-X 100 also yields a large absorbance or fluorescence change and a binding constant on the order of 10(6) M-1.