Purely Covalent Molecular Cages and Containers for Guest Encapsulation

Cage compounds offer unique binding pockets similar to enzyme-binding sites, which can be customized in terms of size, shape, and functional groups to point toward the cavity and many other parameters. Different synthetic strategies have been developed to create a toolkit of methods that allow preparing tailor-made organic cages for a number of distinct applications, such as gas separation, molecular recognition, molecular encapsulation, hosts for catalysis, etc. These examples show the versatility and high selectivity that can be achieved using cages, which is impossible by employing other molecular systems. This review explores the progress made in the field of fully organic molecular cages and containers by focusing on the properties of the cavity and their application to encapsulate guests.

Controlled binding of organic guests by stimuli-responsive macrocycles

Synthetic supramolecular chemistry pursues not only the construction of new matter, but also control over its inherently dynamic behaviour.

The synthesis of water-soluble phosphate pillar[5]arenes functionalized graphene as a fluorescent probe for sensitive detection of paraquat

We describe a selective and sensitive fluorescence platform for the detection of paraquat (PQ) based on competitive host-guest recognition between phosphate pillar[5]arenes (PWP5) and probe (Safranine T, ST) with using PWP5 functionalized reduced graphene (PWP5-rGO) as the receptor. PQ is a positive charge molecule that is captured by PWP5 via electrostatic interactions. The host-guest interaction between PWP5 and PQ is studied by ¹H NMR. Therefore, a selective and sensitive fluorescence sensing of detection PQ is developed. It has a linear response ranges of 0.01-2.0 and 2.0-50.0 μM and a low detection limit of 0.0035 μM (S/N = 3) for PQ. The sensing platform is also used to test PQ in two water samples with satisfying results. It suggests that this approach has potential applications for the determination of PQ.

A multiple-responsive water-soluble [3]pseudorotaxane constructed by pillar[5]arene-based molecular recognition and disulfide bond connection

A multiple-responsive water-soluble [3]pseudorotaxane was constructed by water-soluble pillar[5]arene-based molecular recognition and disulfide bond connection.

PO functional group-containing cryptands: from supramolecular complexes to poly[2]pseudorotaxanes

Host–guest systems based on PO functional group-containing cryptands and the corresponding supramolecular poly[2]pseudorotaxanes with different shapes were constructed successfully.

Synthesis of a novel water-soluble cylindrical macrotricyclic host and its complexation with N-methylquinolinium and N-methylisoquinolinium salts: formation of 1 : 2 complexes in water

A water-soluble cylindrical macrotricyclic host could form 1 : 2 complexes with N-methylquinolinium or N-methylisoquinolinium salts in water solution and in the solid state.

Stimuli-responsive host-guest systems based on the recognition of cryptands by organic guests

CONSPECTUS: As the star compounds in host-guest chemistry, the syntheses of crown ethers proclaimed the birth of supramolecular chemistry. Crown ether-based host-guest systems have attracted great attention in self-assembly processes because of their good selectivity, high efficiency, and convenient responsiveness, enabling their facile application to the "bottom-up" approach for construction of functional molecular aggregates, such as artificial molecular machines, drug delivery materials, and supramolecular polymers. Cryptands, as preorganized derivatives of crown ethers, not only possess the above-mentioned properties but also have three-dimensional spatial structures and higher association constants compared with crown ethers. More importantly, the introduction of the additional arms makes cryptand-based host-guest systems responsive to more stimuli, which is crucial for the construction of adaptive or smart materials. In the past decade, we designed and synthesized crown ether-based cryptands as a new type of host for small organic guests with the purpose of greatly increasing the stabilities of the host-guest complexes and preparing mechanically interlocked structures and large supramolecular systems more efficiently while retaining or increasing their stimuli-responsiveness. Organic molecules such as paraquat derivatives and secondary ammonium salts have been widely used in the fabrication of functional supramolecular aggregates. Many host molecules including crown ethers, cyclodextrins, calixarenes, cucurbiturils, pillararenes, and cryptands have been used in the preparation of self-assembled structures with these guest molecules, but among them cryptands exhibit the best stabilities with paraquat derivatives in organic solvents due to their preorganization and additional and optimized binding sites. They enable the construction of sophisticated molecules or supramolecules in high yields, affording a very efficient way to fabricate stimuli-responsive functional supramolecular systems. This Account mainly focuses on the application of cryptands in the construction of mechanically interlocked molecules such as rotaxanes and catenanes, and stimuli-responsive host-guest systems such as molecular switches and supramolecular polymers due to their good host-guest properties. These cryptands are bicyclic derivatives of crown ethers, including dibenzo-24-crown-8, bis(m-phenylene)-26-crown-8, dibenzo-30-crown-10, and bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10. The length of the third arm has a very important influence on the binding strength of these cryptands with organic guests, because it affects not only the size fit between the host and the guest but also the distances and angles that govern the strengths of the noncovalent interactions between the host and the guest. For example, for bis(m-phenylene)-32-crown-10-based cryptands, a third arm of nine atoms is the best. The environmental responsiveness of these cryptand-based host-guest systems arises from either the crown ether units or the third arms. For example, a dibenzo-24-crown-8 unit introduces potassium cation responsiveness and an azobenzene group on the third arm imbues photoresponsiveness. We believe that studies on stimuli-responsive host-guest systems based on cryptands and organic guests will contribute significantly to future research on molecular devices, supramolecular polymers, and other functional supramolecular materials.

Stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymeric materials

Supramolecular materials, dynamic materials by nature, are defined as materials whose components are bridged via reversible connections and undergo spontaneous and continuous assembly/disassembly processes under specific conditions. On account of the dynamic and reversible nature of noncovalent interactions, supramolecular polymers have the ability to adapt to their environment and possess a wide range of intriguing properties, such as degradability, shape-memory, and self-healing, making them unique candidates for supramolecular materials. In this critical review, we address recent developments in supramolecular polymeric materials, which can respond to appropriate external stimuli at the fundamental level due to the existence of noncovalent interactions of the building blocks.