Amino acids recognition by water-soluble uncharged porphyrin tweezers: Spectroscopic evidences in high optical density solutions

Highlights: ► Molecular recognition properties of metal bis-porphyrins at high concentration. ► The formation of the complex causes the disruption of the aggregates. ► High sensitivity for the optical detection of low amount of amino acids. ► Potential applications as a selective molecular sensor of amino acids. - Abstract: Small angle X-ray measurements on concentrated solutions of Cobalt-bis-porphyrins showed, at all the investigated concentration values, the presence of small aggregates which possess a sphere-like shape with a homogeneous electron density distribution. Such an aggregation, however, is proven not to affect the binding properties of the molecules with amino acids. Indeed, the Cobalt ion of the bis-porphyrins are available for coordinating the nitrogen atom of the amino acid to form a stable complex, as indicated by UV–vis and circular dichroism spectroscopy. The ability of these uncharged water-soluble bis-porphyrins to act as molecular sensors of amino acids in a wide concentration range takes great relevance in biosensing applications for which high concentration might be required.