Photolysis of an amphiphilic assembly by calixarene-induced aggregation.

Photosensitizers generally show great tendency for self-aggregation in aqueous media, leading to quenched fluorescence and lower photosensitizing ability. Herein, we report that amphiphilic anthracene is highly photoreactive after aggregation induced by p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene in water. The formation of a host-guest supramolecular assembly and the photolysis of the anthryl core are identified by UV-vis and NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, the assembly exhibited efficient photolysis with visible light in the presence of exogenous photosensitizers. This approach could be extended to various photoresponsive self-assemblies and applications in phototherapy and the design of photodegradable materials.