Pattern-based recognition in supramolecular sensing ensemble

A great deal of attention in studying polyelectrolytes has arisen due to their wide industrial use. These polymers have not received as much attention within the supramolecular chemistry field; the work presented here aims at showcasing their power and applicability to this field. In this dissertation, we utilize optical spectroscopic techniques to elucidate how polyelectrolytes behave as molecular host in solution. Moreover, we apply this knowledge to the design of simple, yet powerful optical sensor arrays. Chapter 1 briefly introduces polyelectrolytes and the molecular recognition properties utilized to study these assemblies. Chapter 2 details research directed toward gaining insight into the binding properties of the linear polyelectrolyte polystyrene sulfonate as a potential molecular host for small molecules. The remaining chapters describe the use of our accumulated knowledge in the design and implementation of optical arrays employing commercially available components to target various analyte classes. We showcase the power of multivariate techniques in developing these sensor arrays. Chapters 3 and 4 discuss our efforts in targeting biological phosphates utilizing a dendritic polyelectrolyte and an indicator probe. Chapter 5 expands our work on multivariate array sensing and details a metal cation sensor capable of differentiating a series of ten divalent metal.