Ultrasensitive anion detection by NMR spectroscopy: a supramolecular strategy based on modulation of chemical exchange rate.

NMR spectroscopy is a powerful tool for monitoring molecular interactions and is widely used to characterize supramolecular systems at the atomic level. NMR is limited for sensing purposes, however, due to low sensitivity. Dynamic processes such as conformational changes or binding events can induce drastic effects on NMR spectra in response to variations in chemical exchange (CE) rate, which can lead to new strategies in the design of supramolecular sensors through the control and monitoring of CE rate. Here, we present an indirect NMR anion sensing technique in which increased CE rate, due to anion-induced conformational flexibility of a relatively rigid structure of a novel sensor, allows ultrasensitive anion detection as low as 120 nM.