Fluorometric nucleotide recognition within a water‐soluble tetrahedral capsule

The design of aqueous probes and binders for complex, biologically‐relevant anions presents a key challenge in supramolecular chemistry. Here we report a tetrahedral assembly with cationic faces and corners that is capable of discriminating between anionic and neutral guests in water. Electrostatic repulsion between subcomponents can be overcome by the addition of an anionic template, or generating a robust covalent framework by incorporating tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine (TREN). The resultant TREN‐capped water‐soluble fluorescent cage binds mono‐ and poly‐phosphoric esters, including nucleotides. Its covalent skeleton renders it stable at micromolar concentrations in water, enabling the fluorometric detection of biologically‐relevant guests in an aqueous environment.

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