A [2]rota[2]catenane, constructed from a pillar[5]arene-crown ether fused double-cavity macrocycle: synthesis and structural characterization

A [2]rota[2]catenane, based on a pillar[5]arene-crown ether fused bicycle, was constructed and its structure was determined crystallographically.

Supramolecular assembly-induced yellow emission of 9,10-distyrylanthracene bridged bis(pillar[5]arene)s

Newly synthesized DSA-bridged bis(pillar[5]arene)s with AIE properties form linear supramolecular polymers upon binding to a neutral guest linker, exhibiting supramolecular assembly-induced yellow fluorescence emission.

Host–guest complexation of pillar[6]arenes towards neutral nitrile guests

The binding behavior of a series of nitrile derivatives by ethylated pillar[6]arene is described; this work represents the first example of complexation of neutral guests by pillar[6]arenes.

Porphyrinic supramolecular daisy chains incorporating pillar[5]arene–viologen host–guest interactions

Daisy chains and organogels have been prepared by utilising noncovalent interactions between viologens and pillar[5]arenes together with stacked porphyrins.

A non-symmetric pillar[5]arene based on triazole-linked 8-oxyquinolines as a sequential sensor for thorium(iv) followed by fluoride ions

A novel non-symmetric pillar[5]arene bearing triazole-linked 8-oxyquinolines at one rim was synthesized and demonstrated as a sequential fluorescence sensor for thorium(iv) followed by fluoride ions with high sensitivity and selectivity.

Copillar[5]arene-based supramolecular polymer gel: controlling stimuli–response properties through a novel strategy with surfactant

Cartoon representation of self-assembly pathway of gelator DCP5-16 with G in CD₃CN.

Enzyme-responsive pillar[5]arene-based polymer-substituted amphiphiles: synthesis, self-assembly in water, and application in controlled drug release

Pillar[5]arene-based PEG-substituted amphiphiles form enzyme-responsive micelles in water useful for drug-delivery.

Reversible and contrasting changes of the cloud point temperature of pillar[5]arenes with one quinone unit and tri(ethylene oxide) chains induced by redox chemistry and host–guest complexation

A new water-soluble redox-active pillar[5]arene was synthesized by incorporation of one benzoquinone unit.

The marriage of endo-cavity and exo-wall complexation provides a facile strategy for supramolecular polymerization

The marriage of exo-wall interactions and endo-cavity inclusion provides a new strategy for the construction of supramolecular polymers from unfunctionalized neutral receptors.

Role of polar solvents for the synthesis of pillar[6]arenes

An efficient procedure for the synthesis of pillar[6]arenes has been developed.

Molecular binding behaviors and thermodynamics of ferrocenyl dimethylaminium derivatives by anionic pillar[5]arene

A novel anionic water-soluble pillar[5]arene (4C-WP5A) was synthesized via a convenient synthetic strategy of the direct cyclization of a functionalized hydroquinone monomer.

Synthesis of pillar[n]arenes (n = 5 and 6) with deep eutectic solvent choline chloride 2FeCl3

A novel and distinct method of preparing pillar[n]arenes with high selectivity and efficiency has been achieved by condensation of 1,4-dialkoxybenzene and paraformaldehyde with the deep eutectic solvent in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature.

Diastereoselective cyclization of an aminobenzoic acid derivative and chiroptical properties of triple-stranded helical bis(phenylethynyl)benzene

Diastereoselective cyclic trimerization of 2,5-dibromo-4-hexylaminobenzoic acid followed by a Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling reaction constructed the triple-stranded helical structure of bis(phenylethynyl)benzene units.

Ditopic CMPO-pillar[5]arenes as unique receptors for efficient separation of americium(iii) and europium(iii)

A unique host–guest recognition process involving a new class of homoditopic CMPO-pillar[5]arenes and lanthanides was revealed to proceed in a stepwise manner, and correlated to the efficient and selective separation of americium(iii) from europium(iii) under acidic feed conditions.

Solid-state assembly of carboxylic acid substituted pillar[5]arene and its host–guest complex with tetracaine

The first examples of carboxylic acid substituted pillar[5]arene structures in the form of its inclusion complexes with ethanol and the anesthetic drug tetracaine are reported.

Binding of carboxylatopillar[5]arene with alkyl and aryl ammonium salts in aqueous medium

Alkyl ammonium salts exhibited strong binding with carboxylatopillar[5]arene in aqueous medium which resulted in the formation of pseudo[2]rotaxane and pseudo[3]rotaxane species.

Optical spectroscopic studies on the complexation of stilbazolium dyes with a water soluble pillar[5]arene

The host–guest interactions of carboxylato-pillar[5]arene (WPA5) and three stilbazolium dyes were studied by optical spectroscopy. A fluorescence indicator displacement based on WPA5 was shown to detect paraquat in aqueous solution.

Pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular organic frameworks for highly selective CO2-capture at ambient conditions

Low-density, solid-state, porous supramolecular organic frameworks are constructed using pillarenes. The frameworks have a honeycomb-like structure, permanent porosity, high thermal stability, and selective and reversible sorption properties toward CO2. The exceptionally selective CO2-sorption properties (375/1, 339/1) of one framework over N2 and CH4 indicate potential applications in CO2-capture for post-combustion power plants and natural gas sweetening.

Functionalizing pillar[n]arenes

Macrocyclic chemistry has relied on the dominance of some key cavitands, including cyclodextrins, calixarenes, cyclophanes, and cucurbiturils, to advance the field of host-guest science. Very few of the many other cavitands introduced by chemists during these past few decades have been developed to near the extent of these four key players. A relatively new family of macrocycles that are becoming increasingly dominant in the field of macrocyclic chemistry are the pillar[n]arenes composed of n hydroquinone rings connected in their 2- and 5-positions by methylene bridges. This substitution pattern creates a cylindrical or pillar-like structure that has identical upper and lower rims. The preparation of pillar[n]arenes is facile, with pillar[5]- through pillar[7]arene being readily accessible and the larger macrocycles (n = 8-14) being accessible in diminishing yields. The rigid pillar[n]arene cavities are highly π-electron-rich on account of the n activated aromatic faces pointing toward their centers, allowing the cavities to interact strongly with a range of π-electron-deficient guests including pyridiniums, alkylammoniums, and imidazoliums. The substitution pattern of pillar[n]arenes bestows chirality onto the macrocycle in the form of n chiral planes. The absolute configuration of the chiral planes in pillar[n]arenes can be either fixed or rapidly undergoing inversion. The future of pillar[n]arenes is going to be dependent on their ability to fulfill specific applications. Chemical modification of the parent pillar[n]arenes lets us create functionalized hosts with anticipated chemical or physical properties. The featured potential applications of pillar[n]arenes to date are far reaching and include novel hosts with relevance to nanotechnology, materials science, and medicine. Pillar[n]arenes have an overwhelming advantage over other hosts since the number of ways available to incorporate handles into their structures are diverse and easy to implement. In this Account, we describe the routes to chemically modified pillar[n]arenes by discussing the chemistry of their functionalization: monofunctionalization, difunctionalization, rim differentiation, perfunctionalization, and phenylene substitution. We assess the synthetic complications of employing these functionalization procedures and survey the potential applications and novel properties that arise with these functionalized pillar[n]arenes. We also highlight the challenges and the synthetic approaches that have yet to be fully explored for the selective chemical modification of these hosts. Finally, we examine a related class of macrocycles and consider their future applications. We trust that this Account will stimulate the development of new methods for functionalizing these novel hosts to realize pillar[n]arene-containing compounds capable of finding applications.

Amino-functionalized pillar[5]arene

The recently introduced pillar[n]arenes have provided chemists with receptors that, when incorporated into materials, confer unique properties upon them. The symmetrical rims and cylindrical shape of pillar[5]arene begs the question--can these pillar-like receptors be linked covalently end-to-end in order to create tubular structures by a growth-from-template approach? In our efforts to produce these one-dimensional extended structures, we have developed a new method of functionalizing pillar[5]arene in which one of the five hydroquinone units is converted into a diaminobenzoquinone analogue. The resulting diaminopillar[5]arene derivative, which undergoes a stereochemical inversion process that is slow on the (1)H NMR timescale, can be chemically modified yet further in a direction that is orthogonal to the plane of its methylene bridging carbons through the formation of oxazole heterocycles. This strategy has been employed to create rigid oligomers that resemble one-dimensional tubular arrays. As a proof-of-principle, a rigid pillar[5]arene dimer has been isolated and characterized in the solution state as a 1:1 complex with an extended viologen for which it acts as a receptor.

Potential 129Xe-NMR biosensors based on secondary and tertiary complexes of a water-soluble pillar[5]arene derivative

We report on the first secondary and tertiary complexes of the pillar[5]arene derivative with xenon in water. We show that the chemical shift of the encapsulated xenon provides information on the type of the formed complex suggesting that has the potential to be used as a platform for NMR biosensors.

The template effect of solvents on high yield synthesis, co-cyclization of pillar[6]arenes and interconversion between pillar[5]- and pillar[6]arenes

We have successfully synthesized a pillar[6]arene in high yield and a co-pillar[6]arene by a thermodynamically controlled cyclization process.