Publications by authors named "Patricia D Barata"

Supramolecular chemistry has become a central theme in chemical and biological sciences over the last decades. Supramolecular structures are being increasingly used in biomedical applications, particularly in devices requiring specific stimuli-responsiveness. Fullerenes, and supramolecular assemblies thereof, have gained great visibility in biomedical sciences and engineering.

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A new topological design of fluorescent probes for sensing copper ion is disclosed. The calix[]arene-oxacyclophane (Calix-OCP) receptor, either wired-in-series in arylene--ethynylene conjugated polymers or standing alone as a sole molecular probe, display a remarkable affinity and selectivity for Cu(II). The unique recognition properties of Calix-OCP system toward copper cation stem from its pre-organised cyclic array of -ligands at the calixarene narrow rim, which is kept in a conformational rigid arrangement by a tethered oxacyclophane sub-unit.

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Two fluorescent molecular receptor based conjugated polymers were used in the detection of a nitroaliphatic liquid explosive (nitromethane) and an explosive taggant (2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane) in the vapor phase. Results have shown that thin films of both polymers display remarkably high sensitivity and selectivity toward these analytes. Very fast, reproducible, and reversible responses were found.

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