Citation: Fei Zeng, Xinrui Pan, Zihong Yang, Jie Shen, Wenju Chang, Huaqiang Zeng. Macrocycle-confined dimeric cobalt-porphyrin for boosted transport of anions[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(6): 112355. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.112355 shu

Macrocycle-confined dimeric cobalt-porphyrin for boosted transport of anions

Fei Zeng ^{a, b} ,
Xinrui Pan ^a ,
Zihong Yang ^a ,
Jie Shen ^a ,
Wenju Chang ^{a, *,} ,
Huaqiang Zeng ^{a, *,}

a.
Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Synthesis and Functional Discovery and College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China
b.
College of Pharmacy, Xiangnan University, Chenzhou 423099, China

wenjuchang@fzu.edu.cn

hqzeng@fzu.edu.cn

Received Date: 14 October 2025
Revised Date: 23 December 2025
Accepted Date: 30 December 2025
Available Online: 30 December 2025

Figures(4)

We demonstrate here a macrocyclic host capable of simultaneously binding two Co²⁺-porphyrin complexes in its adaptive giant cavity. Such a geometrically confined porphyrin dimer promotes highly efficient transport of anions across the lipid membrane by virtue of dynamic metal-anion bonding interactions, which is in sharp contrast to the most studied class of anionphores that mediates anion transport through intermolecular H-bonds. The transport activity increases in the order of Br⁻, Cl⁻, ClO₄⁻ and NO₃⁻, with the corresponding EC₅₀ values of 0.57, 0.69, 0.74 and 1.30 µmol/L, and transport rate enhancements by up to ~35 folds over the monomeric Co²⁺-porphyrin complex. The determined binding constants suggest 1-mediated cooperative binding toward G3 molecules might account for the unique behavior by Co²⁺ with respect to other metal ions.
- Supramolecular chemistry,
- Ion transport,
- Giant macrocycle,
- Adaptive cavity,
- Confined metalloporphyrin
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