Removal of Nerve Agent Simulants from Water Using Light-Responsive Molecular Baskets.

We found that molecular baskets 1-3, with amino acids at their rim, undergo photoinduced decarboxylations to give baskets 4-6 forming a solid precipitate in water. Furthermore, organophosphonates 7-9 (OP), akin in size and shape to G-type nerve agents, form inclusion complexes with baskets 1-3 (K = 6-2243 M-1). Light irradiation (300 nm) of an aqueous solution of 1-3⊂OP led to the formation of precipitate containing an OP compound thereby amounting to a novel strategy for light-induced sequestration of nerve agents or, perhaps, other targeted compounds. Importantly, the stability of basket⊂OP complexes in addition to functional groups at the basket's rim play a role in the efficiency (up to 98%) by which OPs are removed from water.