Complexation thermodynamics between butyl rhodamine B and calix[n]arenesulfonates (n = 4, 6, 8)

The characteristics of host–guest complexation between water-soluble calix[n]arenesulfonates (CnS, n = 4, 6, 8) and butyl rhodamine B (BRB) were investigated by fluorescence spectrometry. Fluorescence spectroscopy experiments were performed in pH 8.0 Tris(3-aminomethane)–HCl buffer solution at different temperature to calculate the stability constants (KS) for the stoichiometric 1:1 inclusion complexes of C4S, C6S, and C8S with BRB. The complex stability constant monotonically increased with the number of phenolic units in the calixarene ring. The thermodynamic parameters at T = 298 K for the inclusion complexes were calculated through Van’t Hoff analysis. The inclusion complexes of CnS with BRB were driven by the favorable enthalpic changes, accompanying negative entropy changes. The stability constants were affected by the acidity of the solution. When pH was 8.0, the stability constants reached the maximum. The complex interaction was mainly attributed to the weak forces including electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding.