Molecular containers have been developed that can be monitored by luminescence spectroscopy in order to probe the host-guest interactions of molecules. Italian researchers claim that this work is of interest as it suggests that luminescence spectroscopy could be used to analyse chemical processes on surfaces. 

Enrico Dalcanale and colleagues at the Universities of Parma and Bologna, in Italy, have developed a self-assembled versatile class of container (cavitand) compounds. The fully reversible complexation processes between these and selected guest molecules were monitored by measuring the dramatic changes in fluorescence intensity. This method is a low cost, powerful way of furthering the understanding of the processes that occur at surface interfaces. 

The motivation behind this work is to produce 'hybrid inorganic-organic materials that present tunable, well-defined molecular recognition properties on surfaces,' said Dalcanale. In future, these novel hybrids could be used as catalysts to produce biopolymers, or molecular devices such as molecular magnets. In order to do this an understanding of the chemical processes on surfaces is essential. 'To achieve this goal, high sensitivity is required and we think that this research in an important contribution to address this challenge,' said Dalcanale. 

Michael Brown