A zincsalophen/bile-acid conjugate receptor solubilized by CTABr micelles binds phosphate in waterElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Additional information on the absorption and binding properties of 1 in the presence of phosphate and acetate anions in DMSO, a 9:1 DMSOwater mixture and water (10 mM CTABr); 31P-NMR; details of the full NMR assignment and numbering of the compounds 1 and 4. See DOI: 10.1039/c3ob40724a

Receptor 1 , composed of two deoxycholic acid moieties appended to a Znsalophen complex, was prepared, characterized and tested for anion binding by 1 H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopic techniques. While in polar DMSO, 1 is able to bind phosphate ( K = 700 M 1 ), the addition of water severely diminishes the association. In a 1:9 waterDMSO mixture, the binding constant K is only ca. 20 M 1 . Notably, in an aqueous solution of CTABr micelles (CTABr 10 mM, cmc = 1 mM), the zincsalophen conjugate 1 , due to its two non-polar bile-acid moieties, becomes solubilized and, most importantly, it almost completely recovers its binding ability towards phosphate, displaying a remarkable affinity ( K = 450 M 1 ) in water. Receptor 1 , composed of two deoxycholic acid moieties appended to a Znsalophen complex, was prepared, characterized and tested for anion binding by 1 H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopic techniques.