Research Projects

Primary focus of this project is the systematic advancement, understanding of non-covalent interaction, especially chalcogen bonding (ChB) interaction and its application in recognition, sensing of anions and extraction of anions/ion-pairs from aqueous /semi-aqueous media. In this regard, different functional moieties like chalcogen incorporated imidazole, 1,2,3-triazole can be synthesized for ChB interactions. Thereafter, these motifs would be introduced on various platforms (like arene, triazene) to build up tripodal, tetrapodal and hexapodal receptors for recognition, sensing and extraction of anions in aqueous media. Again polymeric analogues would be synthesized by proper modification of monomeric ChB based tripodal, tetrapodal and hexapodal receptors. The comparison of ChB based polymeric analogues over monomeric receptors would be checked by different spectroscopic, analytical method in terms of extraction ability of anions in aqueous media. Importantly, ditopic receptor comprising of ChB donor units will be synthesised for efficient extraction of ion-pairs. Furthermore, efforts will be made towards synthesis of macro cyclic/anion-π amalgamated ChB incorporated receptor for efficient anion binding and their comparative studies will be performed. RuII/IrIII metal bound ChB comprising receptors will be synthesised for selective sensing of halides, oxoanion and comparison of ChB receptor over halogen bond (XB) and hydrogen bond (HB) would be checked. Solution state binding properties as well selectivity pattern of the receptors will be evaluated using NMR, ITC, UV-Vis, Fluorescence, Time resolved spectroscopy etc. whereas, solid state study will be carried out using Single crystal X-ray diffraction technique.