Novel resorcin[4]arenes as potassium-selective ion-channel and transporter mimics.
Wright AJ., Matthews SE., Fischer WB., Beer PD.
A series of novel resorcin-[4]arenes with extended pi systems have been synthesised and developed as potassium-selective transporters. Resorcin[4]arenes that feature crown ether moieties function as efficient carriers of K+ across bulk liquid membranes showing enhanced selectivity over the other alkali metal ions relative to a model system (benzo[15]crown-5). Incorporation of functionalities suitable for pore formation, in addition to an extra annulus of aromatic residues, gives molecules which have remarkable ion-channel-mimicking behaviour in a biological lipid bilayer with outstanding K+/Na+ selectivity.