Molecular recognition in micelles: the roles of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity in adenine-thymine base-pairing in SDS micelles

A new breed of molecular receptors which use hydrogen bonding to bind adenine derivatives in aqueous solution was identified from the preparation of several supramolecular molecules containing ammonium salts, which were integrated into sodium dodenyl sulfate (SDS) micelles. The hydrophobic interactions between the micelle and the ademine substrate, and the hydrogen bonding between the adenine and thynine groups are responsible for the binding.