Supra-amphiphilic aggregates formed by p-sulfonatocalix[4]arenes and the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine

We report here a supramolecular strategy to directly assemble the small molecular antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine (CPZ) into nanostructures, induced by p-sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SC4A) and p-sulfonatocalix[4] arene tetraheptyl ether (SC4AH), with high drug loading efficiencies of 61% and 46%, respectively. The binary host-guest assembly process was monitored using optical transmittance measurements, and the size and morphology of these two kinds of supra-amphiphilic assemblies were identified using a combination of light scattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, which showed solid spherical micelles. This strategy presents new opportunities for the development of high loading drug-containing carriers with easy processability for drug delivery.