{
  "abstract": "We investigated inclusion complexation of levamisole (LEV+), a common adulterant of cocaine (COC+), with six molecular baskets 1 3− –6 18− of increasing cavity depth and anionic charge at the portal. 1H NMR and mass spectrometry showed that 1 3− to 6 18− bind to LEV+ to form binary complexes in water, with the stability increasing across the series and highest for dendritic basket 6 18− (K d = 10 µM). From 1H NMR magnetic shielding and OPLS4 calculations, we deduced that LEV+ inserts its benzene in the binding pocket of 1 3−–6 18− while the protonated heterocycle remains near the anionic portal. The stability of [LEV⊂6]17− arises from C−H…π/cation…π/π−π contacts, ion pairing, and hydrophobic effect (ΔH°< 0, ITC). Dendritic basket 6 18− was subsequently used to develop a fluorescent displacement assay (FDA) for the detection of LEV+ with alizarin red S (ALZ−) as a fluorescence reporter. LEV+ displaced the dye to generate a fluorescence response suitable for its detection in water over circa 10–300 µM range. In contrast, COC+ bound more strongly to basket 6 18−, forming binary (K d = 1 µM) and ternary complexes (1H NMR, calorimetry, and FDA). The binding mode of COC+ differs from that of LEV+, with the drug's cationic fragment occupying the basket's cavity.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry The Ohio State University Columbus Ohio USA"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Christopher T. Mortensen"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Carson E. Ward"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nitesh Kumar"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Logan Willemann"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Ryan Lutz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Kailey Hughes"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Zheng Zheng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jovica D. Badjić",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7540-2387"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bv70t3d27sdnf.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1002/chem.71216",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13729933/",
  "id": "bv70t3d27sdnf",
  "issns": [
    "0947-6539",
    "1521-3765"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.71216",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Research Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1605|Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7163530939",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13729933",
  "pmid": "42237091",
  "published": "2026-06-03",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bv70t3d27sdnf.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-07T12:22:39Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13729933",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.71216"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "chemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1605|Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes",
      "subfield": "organic"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Inclusion Complexations of Levamisole and Cocaine With Molecular Baskets. Fluorescence Displacement Assay for Detection of Cocaine and Its Adulterant Levamisole in Aqueous Media",
  "title_text": "Inclusion Complexations of Levamisole and Cocaine With Molecular Baskets. Fluorescence Displacement Assay for Detection of Cocaine and Its Adulterant Levamisole in Aqueous Media",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-07T12:22:39Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/bv70t3d27sdnf",
  "venue": "Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)",
  "versions": []
}