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In silico design of calixarene-based arsenic acid removal agents

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Abstract

Contamination of water resources with arsenic is a worldwide challenge with an important social impact. Development of adsorptive materials with high affinity and selectivity towards arsenic is an important and ongoing challenge. The aim of this work is to study calix[n]arenes with 4, 5, 6 and 8 rings, as well as COOH, C2H4OH, SO3H, t-Bu, PO3H2 and PO4H2, upper-rim functional groups through computational chemistry models as tailor-made sequestering agents using pentavalent arsenate species (H3AsO4, H2AsO4 − and HAsO4 2−). Host–guest interaction energies (E int ) were determined using Density functional theory (DFT) calculations at the M06-2X/6-31G(d,p) level of theory carried out on host–guest adducts in order to find the most suitable candidates as extracting agents for these arsenate species. Hydrogen-bond donor groups such as SO3H, PO3H2 and the hypothetical calixarene with R = PO4H2 on the upper rim of calix[n]arenes are shown to be the most suitable functional groups for encapsulating these As(V) species under study.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank UA–CONACYT (University of Arizona—Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología) Binational Consortium for the Regional Scientific Development and Innovation for the financial support provided. The authors wish to thank Miss Citlallit Martínez for keeping our computational facilities in high quality conditions. Also to Dirección General de Tecnologías de la Información y Cómputo (DGTIC—UNAM) for granting access to their supercomputing facilities known as Miztli.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Conjunto de Investigación en Química Sustentable UAEM-UNAM, Carretera Toluca-Atlacomulco Km 14.5, Unidad San Cayetano, 50200, Toluca, Estado de México, Mexico

    Gustavo Mondragón-Solórzano & Joaquín Barroso-Flores

  2. Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210011, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA

    Reyes Sierra-Álvarez

  3. Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Saltillo. Av. Industria Metalúrgica 1062, Parque Industrial, 25900, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, Mexico

    Eddie López-Honorato

Authors
  1. Gustavo Mondragón-Solórzano
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  2. Reyes Sierra-Álvarez
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  3. Eddie López-Honorato
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  4. Joaquín Barroso-Flores
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Correspondence to Joaquín Barroso-Flores.

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Mondragón-Solórzano, G., Sierra-Álvarez, R., López-Honorato, E. et al. In silico design of calixarene-based arsenic acid removal agents. J Incl Phenom Macrocycl Chem 85, 169–174 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-016-0617-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10847-016-0617-0

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