586. Molecular recognition at the gas-solid interface: a powerful tool for chemical sensing

Fig. 1 Working principle of supramolecular sensors.

Laura Pirondini, et al, Chem. Soc. Rev. 36, 695 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1039/b516256b

(1) General dispersion interactions (polarizability, dipolarity, H-bond acidity and basicity and the solubility) rather than shape complementarity determine selectivity.
(2) Increase selectivity by following the ‘‘lock-and-key’’ approach can be achieved in two ways: (i) strengthening a single binding mode via multiple interactions (enthalpic gain); (ii) increasing the number of energetically equivalent binding options available to the guest in a single receptor (entropic gain).