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The direct, clean, and unbiased transduction of molecular recognition into a readable and reproducible response is the biggest challenge associated to the use of synthetic receptors in sensing. All possible solutions demand the mastering of molecular recognition at the solid-liquid interface as prerequisite. The socially relevant issue of screening amine-based illicit and designer drugs is addressed by nanomechanical recognition at the silicon-water interface. The methylamino moieties of different drugs are all first recognized by a single cavitand receptor through a synergistic set of weak interactions. The peculiar recognition ability of the cavitand is then transferred with high fidelity and robustness on silicon microcantilevers and harnessed to realize a nanomechanical device for label-free detection of these drugs in water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A supramolecular approach for the specific detection of sarcosine, recently linked to the occurrence of aggressive prostate cancer forms, has been developed. A hybrid active surface was prepared by the covalent anchoring on Si substrates of a tetraphosphonate cavitand as supramolecular receptor and it was proven able to recognize sarcosine from its nonmethylated precursor, glycine, in water and urine. The entire complexation process has been investigated in the solid state, in solution, and at the solid-liquid interface to determine and weight all the factors responsible of the observed specificity. The final outcome is a Si-based active surface capable of binding exclusively sarcosine. The complete selectivity of the cavitand-decorated surface under these stringent conditions represents a critical step forward in the use of these materials for the specific detection of sarcosine and related metabolites in biological fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective and reversible complexation of halogen-tagged aromatic VOCs by a quinoxaline cavitand-decorated Si surface is demonstrated. The specific host–guest interactions of the Si-bonded receptors are proved to be responsible of the surface recognition properties, while extracavity non specific adsorptions are totally suppressed compared to the bulk material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opposing the dissemination of designer drugs requires versatile analytical tools capable of addressing their common structural features. In their Communication on page 9183 ff., P. Bergese, E. Dalcanale, et al. report a supramolecular nanomechanical device for the label‐free detection of the whole class of methamphetamines in water. The device combines the molecular recognition of a tetraphosphonate cavitand and silicon microcantilevers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Si(1 00) surface featuring molecular recognition properties was obtained by covalent functionalization with a tetraphosphonate cavitand (Tiiii), able to complex positively charged species. Tiiii cavitand was grafted onto the Si by photochemical hydrosilylation together with 1-octene as a spatial spectator. The recognition properties of the Si-Tiiii surface were demonstrated through two independent analytical techniques, namely XPS and fluorescence spectroscopy, during the course of reversible complexation-guest exchange-decomplexation cycles with specifically designed ammonium and pyridinium salts. Control experiments employing a Si(100) surface functionalized with a structurally similar, but complexation inactive, tetrathiophosphonate cavitand (TSiii,) demonstrated no recognition events. This provides evidence for the complexation properties of the Si-Thu surface, ruling out the possibility of nonspecific interactions between the substrate and the guests. The residual Si-O- terminations on the surface replace the guests' original counterions, thus stabilizing the complex ion pairs. These results represent a further step toward the control of self-assembly of complex supramolecular architectures on surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]