Aminimide-containing molecules and materials as molecular recognition agents

A composition having the structure

• wherein
• a. A and B are the same or different, and each is a chemical bond;
• hydrogen;
• an electrophilic group;
• a nucleophilic group;
• R;
• an amino acid derivative;
• a nucleotide derivative;
• a carbohydrate derivative;
• an organic structural motif;
• a reporter element;
• an organic moiety containing a polymerizable group;
• or a macromolecular component, wherein A and B are optionally connected to each other or to other structures and R is as defined below;
• b. X and Y are the same or different and each represents a chemical bond or one or more atoms of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen or combinations thereof;
• c. R and R′ are the same or different and each is an alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkaryl group or a substituted or heterocyclic derivative thereof, wherein R and R′ may be different in adjacent n units and have a selected stereochemical arrangement about the nitrogen atom to which they are attached;
• d. G is a chemical bond or a connecting group that includes a terminal carbon atom for attachment to the quaternary nitrogen and G may be different in adjacent n units;
• and
• e. n≧1;
• provided that, (1) if G is a chemical bond, Y includes a terminal carbon atom for attachment to the quaternary nitrogen;
• and (2) if n is 1, X and Y are chemical bonds and R and R′ are the same, A and B are different and one is other than H or R.