Selective recognition of sulfate anions by a cyclopeptide-derived receptor in aqueous phosphate buffer.

A cyclopeptide-based anion receptor containing alternating 6-aminopicolinic acid and substituted (4R)-4-aminoproline subunits with appended β-alanine residues binds sulfate anions in water. Importantly, appreciable sulfate binding is even observed in phosphate buffer, hence in the presence of anions of similar structure but with a different degree of protonation. The cause for the high selectivity of this receptor is related to the mode of action of the sulfate-binding protein.