Selective Vapor Sorption by Polymers and Cavitands on Acoustic Wave Sensors:  Is This Molecular Recognition?

• Published in: Analytical chemistry (Washington) Vol. 68; no. 5; pp. 913 - 917
• Main Authors: Grate, Jay W, Patrash, Samuel J, Abraham, Michael H, Du, Chau My
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 01-03-1996
• Subjects: Analytical chemistry; Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General, instrumentation; Polymers; Sensors; Acoustic wave device; Sorption; Monolayer; Cavity; Molecular structure; Reaction mechanism; Dispersion interaction; Polymer; Selectivity; Gas detector; Recognition; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0003-2700; 1520-6882
• DOI: 10.1021/ac950518z

Selectivity patterns for the sorption of organic vapors from the gas phase into cavitand monolayers on acoustic wave sensors are very similar to those seen for sorption of the same vapors by amorphous polymers, demonstrating that the vapor/cavitand selectivity patterns are determined primarily by solubility interactions. The amorphous polymers serve as controls demonstrating that the three-dimensional structure of a cavitand layer is not primarily responsible for the selectivity observed. Binding and selectivity in the examples cited are governed primarily by general dispersion interactions and not by specific oriented interactions that could lead to molecular recognition.