Cyclodextrin Complexation in the Design of High-Performance Chemical Sensors

Mindy Levine, Chemical Sciences, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel (mindyl@ariel.ac.il)

Although cyclodextrin-based complexation of hydrophobic small molecules is a well-known phenomenon with applications in chromatography and drug delivery, the use of cyclodextrin complexation for supramolecular sensor development is a relatively under-explored phenomenon. Our group has spent more than a decade investigating cyclodextrin-based sensors, starting with cyclodextrin-containing, solution-state, fluorescence-based sensors. More recently, we have expanded the role of cyclodextrin to enable on-paper detection; to facilitate colorimetric rather than fluorometric changes for enhanced general applicability; and to include additional roles for cyclodextrin such as protecting the filter paper from undesired degradation. These new advances, immediate future plans, and potential applications of cyclodextrin-containing sensors will be discussed herein.