Pillar[6]arene-containing multilayer films have been fabricated by alternating deposition of a stoichiometric complex consisting of both pillar[6]arene and methyl viologen with a photoreactive polyelectrolyte, diazoresin (DAR). After photoinduced cross-linking of the multilayer films, the guest molecule, methyl viologen, can be removed. Then, multilayer films with artificial binding sites are fabricated. The films show good properties for molecular uptake and release as well as selectivity for molecules with methyl viologen moieties. It is anticipated that this kind of multilayer films have future applications in the fields of enrichment of molecular dyes and purification of methyl viologen-polluted water.
Keywords: guest uptake and release; layer-by-layer assembly; methyl viologen; molecular recognition; pillar[6]arene.