Tuning the solubility of ionophores: glutathione-mediated transport of chloride ions across hydrophobic membranes.

A stimuli-responsive anion transport strategy was successfully employed to regulate the water solubility of ionophores and promote controlled transport of Cl- ions across lipid bilayers. A sulfonium-based proanionophore was efficiently activated by glutathione to regenerate the active anionophore, which allowed controlled transport of Cl- ions in a cellular environment with lower cytotoxicity.