The Indiana University-Bloomington researchers said their novel molecule is expected to have a broad range of applications in the removal of chlorine, fluorine and other negatively charged ions from solutions.

"What we've done is create an efficient synthesis that gives us access to a whole new family of binding agents," said Professor Arnar Flood. "The synthesis is extremely modular, as well, so we imagine these molecules can be easily modified to bind a wide variety of negative ions with great specificity."

There are many organic molecules that bind with positively charged ions, said Flood, but most molecules that can bind with negatively-charged ions also bind with solvent molecules, making them inactive.

Flood and postdoctoral scholar Yongjun Li created a donut-shaped organic molecule with a binding site in the center and an array of atoms surrounding the hole that keeps solvent molecules away.

"This thing is so easy to make," Flood said. "We see lots of potential in it."

The study appears in the journal Angewandte Chemie.

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