Fluorescence enhancement of carbendazim fungicide in cucurbit[6]uril

The potential increase in fluorescence of a benzimidazole-type fungicide (carbendazim) due to complexation with cucurbit[6]uril is reported. The fluorescence of the probe carbendazim in aqueous Na₂SO₄ solution (pH=7.61) at room temperature is found to increase by a maximum factor of ∼10.0 and blue-shifted up to ∼11±1 nm with the increase in cucurbit[6]uril concentration up to ∼5 mM. This fluorescence enhancement is the result of formation of a 1:1 guest-host inclusion complex, in which the guest carbendazim is incorporated inside the hydrophobic cavity of the host curbit[6]uril through the amido-ester part. Such mode of inclusion is supported by NMR spectral measurements, in which upon encapsulation, the resonance of the methyl-protons of the amido-ester moiety is shifted significantly to upfield in the ¹H NMR spectrum. Also, to assess the formation of inclusion complex, solid samples prepared by co-evaporation have been studied, using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Measurement of the enhancement as a function of cucurbit[6]uril concentrations yielded a value of the equilibrium constant (K _a ) of 271±10 M^-1 at 25°C. From the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constants, ΔH and ΔS values have been negative in sign, indicating the dipole-dipole interactions and the steric factors associated with the formation of this inclusion complex. It might be proposed that the spectral changes due to the inclusion of carbendazim are the result of decrease in the polarity of the surrounded media rather than the loss of carbendazim rotational mobility.