Sensor and method of detecting an analyte using 19F NMR

1. A sensor comprising

a fluorinated receptor, the receptor chosen to provide a selective interaction with an analyte such that a 19 F NMR resonance of the receptor shifts when associating with an analyte, the sensor comprising multiple nonequivalent fluorine atoms in a single receptor, the sensor is capable of multi-dimensional differentiation to fingerprint the analyte, by identifying the analyte through the shift in the 19 F NMR resonance and providing a multi-dimensional spectroscopic signature without complexity from overlapping 19 F NMR signals, and

an additional receptor, the sensor having an orthogonal discriminatory property that allows for higher analyte resolution signal though a combined analysis of signals from multiple receptors.

2. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the 19 F NMR resonance is capable of being detected by a NMR spectrometer.

3. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the shift of the 19 F NMR resonance is induced by spatial proximity.

4. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the shift of the 19 F NMR resonance is induced by changes in electron density.

5. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the shift of the 19 F NMR resonance is induced by spatial proximity and changes in electron density.

6. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the shift of the 19 F NMR resonance is induced by differences in a magnetic micro-environment.

7. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes fluorine atoms at different positions relative to the analyte.

8. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes at least two nonequivalent fluorine atoms.

9. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is capable of providing at least two 19 F NMR signals that shift when the receptor associates with the analyte.

10. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is capable of accessing structure information of the analyte by interaction with spatially arranged fluorine atoms.

11. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor selectivity is capable of being optimized by the position of a fluorine atom of the receptor.

12. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is capable of discriminating different analytes.

13. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes a carbohydrate.

14. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes a protein.

15. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes a biomolecule.

16. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes a cell.

17. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes a virus.

18. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte is a toxic molecule.

19. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a magnetic microenvironment.

20. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is capable of three dimensional differentiation of the analyte.

21. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the sensor is capable of calculating a concentration of the analyte.

22. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a calixarene tungsten-imido complex.

23. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a palladium complex.

24. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a boronic acid complex.

25. The sensor of claim 22 , wherein the calixarene tungsten-imido complex includes a trifluoromethyl group and a trifluoromethoxy group.

26. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a pentafluorophenyl group.

27. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the receptor includes a SF 5 , SCF 3 , OCF 3 , trifluoromethyl ketone, difluoromethylketone, pentaflurophenyl, and/or trifluoromethyl.

28. The sensor of claim 19 , wherein the analyte includes caffeine or a biologically active heterocycle.

29. The sensor of claim 19 , wherein the analyte includes a cyanophos [O-(4-cyanophenyl) O,O-dimethyl phosphoro-thioate].

30. The sensor of claim 1 , wherein the analyte includes an amine, a heterocycle, a thioether, a carbohydrate, a polyol, a nitrile, an amide, a sulfoxide or a vitamin.