Investigation of the anion recognition properties of tripodal receptors synthesized by microwave and conventional methods

Anions are ionic species that play important roles in biology, medicine, catalysis, and environmental science. Identifying these species is crucial for industrial applications and clinical diagnostics. In recent years, extensive research has focused on designing artificial receptors for anion recognition. Tripodal receptors containing amide, urea, or thiourea groups in their binding sites have emerged as key structures in this field. Their three-armed architecture facilitates selective binding. The distinctiveness of these attachments depends on the stiffness of their arms and the size of the area where the connections occur. Amide-based tripodal receptors exhibit high affinity towards anions, providing an advantage in bidirectional ion recognition. In recent years, the use of microwave-assisted methods in organic chemistry has become widespread, and many chemical warfare techniques have been demonstrated effectively. Microwave-assisted reactions offer several advantages, including shorter reaction times, higher yields, fewer by-products, and ease of application. Furthermore, solvent-free processes promote atom economy and selectivity, aligning with the principles of green chemistry. In this study, amide-based tripodal molecules were synthesised in two stages. In the first stage, synthesis was performed under microwave conditions and by classical methods. In the second stage, the synthesised tripodal molecules were used for anion characterisation using the 1 H NMR titration method.