Vesicles prepared by β-cyclodextrins Inclusion complexes based on switching supramolecular interaction models induced by mixed solvents

Vesicles, based on two-head inclusion model (2:1) and one-head inclusion model (1:1) of carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CM-β-CD) with N,N′-bis (ferrocenylmethylene) diaminohexane (BFD) were prepared in water as well as in mixed solvents (water/methanol, water/ethanol, water/isopropanol, water/tert-butanol and water/glycerol). Morphologies and sizes of the aggregates in water and mixed solvents were observed by TEM and confirmed by DLS. A gradual change was shown with increasing proportion of the organic component in the mixed solvents. The polarities and steric hindrances of the mixed solvents would play key roles in the morphological changes of aggregates. Moreover, two possible formation mechanisms in different solvents were proposed based on UV, CV and 1H-NMR data. The work in this paper may extend the applications of vesicles in biosimulation, drug-delivery and smart materials.