Silica gel with covalently attached bambusuril macrocycle for dicyanoaurate sorption from water

• Michaela Šusterová and
• Vladimír Šindelář

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2604–2611, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.201

• ]. In the field of anion extraction, there is growing interest in solid-phase substrates functionalized with synthetic macrocyclic receptors. These materials employ a supramolecular approach based on specific host–guest interactions between the immobilized macrocycle and the guest in solution, often

Conformational effects on iodide binding: a comparative study of flexible and rigid carbazole macrocyclic analogs

• Guang-Wei Zhang,
• Yong Zhang,
• Le Shi,
• Chuang Gao,
• Hong-Yu Li and
• Lei Xue

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2369–2375, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.181

• when interacting with iodine ions, and that flexible PBGs enhance the host–guest complementarity through conformational adjustments, resulting in local conformational fitting changes [25]. To determine the binding ratios and binding constants of the two structural analogs to iodine ions, we designed a

• Job plot obtained by varying the ratio of host and guest, but the total concentration of host and guest is fixed: [host] + [guest] = 5.0 mM, plotting the Job plot obtained by the chemical shift change of the host NH proton in the 1H NMR spectrum, see Figures S4 and S5 in Supporting Information File 1

• by enabling dynamic host–guest complementarity. Such insights are critical for designing adaptive receptors for applications like environmental sensing or selective ion extraction. Conclusion In summary, two carbazole-based macrocyclic structural analogs (PBG and WDG) were synthesized via a

Rotaxanes with integrated photoswitches: design principles, functional behavior, and emerging applications

• Jullyane Emi Matsushima,
• Khushbu,
• Zuliah Abdulsalam,
• Udyogi Navodya Kulathilaka Conthagamage and
• Víctor García-López

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2345–2366, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.179

• biomembrane-compatible rotaxanes are promising for designing artificial ion transporters to address channelopathies. Song and co-workers developed a system in which the azobenzene in the axle is encapsulated within a chiral β-cyclodextrin, affording a self-locked [1]rotaxane [15]. The intramolecular host

• –guest interaction induces a chiral signal, while the azobenzene chromophore imparts photoswitching properties to the molecule. Furthermore, solvent-mediated hydrogen-bonding interactions tailored within the inner cyclodextrin cavity, combined with photocontrolled isomerization of the azo moiety, enable

Insoluble methylene-bridged glycoluril dimers as sequestrants for dyes

• Suvenika Perera,
• Peter Y. Zavalij and
• Lyle Isaacs

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 2302–2314, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.176

• sidewalls, both of which reduce their host–guest recognition abilities. Detailed studies of methylene blue removal by H2 and methylene violet removal by G2W1 Influence of the quantity of host. Given the very good removal efficiencies of H2 and G2W1 for methylene blue and methylene violet, respectively, we

Chiral phosphoric acid-catalyzed asymmetric synthesis of helically chiral, planarly chiral and inherently chiral molecules

• Wei Liu and
• Xiaoyu Yang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1864–1889, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.145

• potential applications in catalytic asymmetric reactions have also been showcased. Planar chirality Planarly chiral cyclophanes, a unique class of macrocyclic compounds featuring planar chirality, can be found in various natural products and are widely utilized in asymmetric catalysis, host–guest chemistry

Research progress on calixarene/pillararene-based controlled drug release systems

• Liu-Huan Yi,
• Jian Qin,
• Si-Ran Lu,
• Liu-Pan Yang,
• Li-Li Wang and
• Huan Yao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1757–1785, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.139

• release systems based on host–guest selective recognition, self-assembly, and nano-valves by the use of of calixarenes and pillararenes from five perspectives: pH, light, enzyme, hypoxia, and multi-stimuli combination responses. Furthermore, the article projects the future clinical application prospects

• categorizes supramolecular chemistry-based drug-controlled release systems into the following three mechanisms: (1) Drugs are identified and combined with supramolecular hosts through host–guest interactions [23][24][25][26][27][28]. By adjusting the conditions surrounding the guest molecules, such as changes

• in pH, light, and enzyme activity, the binding affinity between the guest and host molecules can be altered, thereby achieving controlled drug release and targeted delivery. (2) Drugs are loaded into self-assembled host–guest systems [29][30][31][32]. The chemical structure or properties of the host

Synthesis of an aza[5]helicene-incorporated macrocyclic heteroarene via oxidation of an o-phenylene-pyrrole-thiophene icosamer

• Yusuke Matsuo,
• Aoi Nakagawa,
• Shu Seki and
• Takayuki Tanaka

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1561–1567, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.119

• in detail. Keywords: cyclophane; fluorescence; heterohelicene; intramolecular oxidative coupling; Introduction Conjugated macrocyclic polyarenes have attracted significant attention due to their stimuli-responsive optoelectronic properties, dynamic structural changes, and host–guest interactions [1

Gold extraction at the molecular level using α- and β-cyclodextrins

• Susana Santos Braga

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1116–1125, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.89

• the importance of a host–guest tight fit to obtain a precipitate with KAuBr4, which occurs only with α-CD. Lastly, tests with alternative alkali metals showed that two of the salts were able to afford co-precipitates with α-CD, as shown in Figure 2. In the adducts with the large-diameter alkali metal

• diffraction of single crystals (Figure 3), showing, for both 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries, cyanoaurate anions inside the host cavity and potassium cations interacting with hydroxy groups of adjacent cyclodextrins. The strong host–guest affinity and complex stability in the solution phase has been studied by

Supramolecular assembly of hypervalent iodine macrocycles and alkali metals

• Krishna Pandey,
• Lucas X. Orton,
• Grayson Venus,
• Waseem A. Hussain,
• Toby Woods,
• Lichang Wang and
• Kyle N. Plunkett

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 1095–1103, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.87

• crystallographic confirmation of a 2:1 host–guest complex, titration data was fitted using a 2:1 model of HIM to metal BArF20 or BArF24 (Figure 7) [22][23]. The calculated cooperative association constants for 1 with LiBArF20 are 0.09 M−1 and 21522 M−1. The cooperative association constants for HIM with NaBArF24

Dicarboxylate recognition based on ultracycle hosts through cooperative hydrogen bonding and anion–π interactions

• Wen-Hui Mi,
• Teng-Yu Huang,
• Xu-Dong Wang,
• Yu-Fei Ao,
• Qi-Qiang Wang and
• De-Xian Wang

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 884–889, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.72

• , resulting in a higher binding strength. Dicarboxylates longer or shorter than C72− (e.g., C82−, C62−, or C52−) exhibit weaker binding due to their less-matched host–guest sizes. For the shorter dicarboxylates (C22−–C42−), the binding behavior is more complex. For instance, the [B4aH·C22−] complex fits a 1:2

Acyclic cucurbit[n]uril bearing alkyl sulfate ionic groups

• Christian Akakpo,
• Peter Y. Zavalij and
• Lyle Isaacs

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 717–726, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.55

• specific guest. C1 binds more tightly to quaternary ammonium guests compared to the corresponding primary ammonium ions. Keywords: cucurbituril; host–guest chemistry; isothermal titration calorimetry; molecular container; X-ray crystallography; Introduction Molecular recognition interactions are key

• ). Qualitative study of C1·guest recognition properties by 1H NMR spectroscopy Next, we decided to perform a qualitative investigation of the host–guest properties of C1 by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Figure 3 shows the chemical structures of a panel of guests that were studied and the complexation-induced changes in

Binding of tryptophan and tryptophan-containing peptides in water by a glucose naphtho crown ether

• Gianpaolo Gallo and
• Bartosz Lewandowski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 541–546, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.42

• tryptophan and Trp-containing peptides by 1 we performed NMR measurements on the 1:1 host–guest complexes in D2O. Upon binding of tryptophan by 1 a significant upfield shift of the aromatic protons and a slightly smaller shift, also upfield, of the α and β-Trp protons was observed (Figure 3). The aromatic

Hydrogen-bonded macrocycle-mediated dimerization for orthogonal supramolecular polymerization

• Wentao Yu,
• Zhiyao Yang,
• Chengkan Yu,
• Xiaowei Li and
• Lihua Yuan

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 179–188, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.10

• materials. Keywords: hydrogen-bonded macrocycle; orthogonal self-assembly; shape-persistent; supramolecular polymer; Introduction Host–guest interactions, particularly those involving macrocycles as hosts [1], have found a myriad of applications in supramolecular chemistry [2][3][4] owing to their ability

• ., metal coordination interactions and hydrogen bonding), providing access to various multiresponsive orthogonal self-assemblies or smart supramolecular polymers [24][25]. For example, the discovery of cucurbit[8]uril complexation in a 1:2 and 2:2 host–guest stoichiometry leads to a wide spectrum of

• applications, which includes catalysis [26], gelation [27], sensing [28], color tuning, etc. [29]. However, only several kinds of macrocycles are capable of supramolecular dimerization through host–guest interactions [30]. Shape-persistent macrocycles have captured the interest of chemists for decades [31][32

Cyclodextrin-based rotaxanes for polymer materials: challenge on simultaneous realization of inexpensive production and defined structures

• Yosuke Akae

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3026–3049, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.252

• molecule a good host molecule that interacts with guest molecules via hydrophobic interactions. To maximize the host–guest hydrophobic interaction, suitable guest molecules for CDs generally fit well with their cavity sizes. Put differently, α-CD fits well with a linear aliphatic chain, β-CD does with a

Tailored charge-neutral self-assembled L₂Zn₂ container for taming oxalate

• David Ocklenburg and
• David Van Craen

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 3007–3015, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.250

• , only a few reports with the focus on host–guest binding studies exist in which classic cationic metal-driven self-assemblies seem to be capable of binding oxalate without suffering from its competitive nature [75][76][77][78][79]. Guest encapsulation was investigated with cationic metalla-rectangles as

• connecting units for an easy ligand preparation (Figure 1b). The resulting compressed self-assembled host with a non-planar ligand backbone is the first charge-neutral metallocontainer able to bind oxalate forming a 1:1 host–guest complex with a binding constant of log K = 4.39 ± 0.04 in DMSO as highly

• anions and oxalate. Acetate and benzoate as monocarboxylates were investigated alongside oxalate because we expected also a different binding scenario for these small guests as a result of the altered zinc–zinc distance compared to our previous study [74]. Indeed, 1H NMR host–guest titrations showed a

Investigation of a bimetallic terbium(III)/copper(II) chemosensor for the detection of aqueous hydrogen sulfide

• Parvathy Mini,
• Michael R. Grace,
• Genevieve H. Dennison and
• Kellie L. Tuck

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2818–2826, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.237

• program, was used to determine the binding constant of Cu2+ ions to Tb.1 in both Tris-HCl buffer and HEPES buffer. The host–guest binding modes (1:1, 1:2 or 2:1) were evaluated using the luminescent data (λex = 250 nm, λem = 450–650 nm) from the respective titration experiments. In both cases the 1:1 host

• ), anion/sulfur compound (50 µM) and Na2S (15 µM), n = 3. Chemical structure and mode of action of [Tb(DPA-N3)3]3− for detection of H2S(g) [11]. Synthesis of Tb.1. Binding constant determination for the 1:1 host–guest interaction (Tb.1 + Cu2+ ions), determined using supramolecular.org [18]. Supporting

• –guest binding model gave an acceptable fit with low (co)variance of the fit (Table 1). Aqueous buffer HS− studies of [Tb.1·3Cu]3+ The response of [Tb.1·3Cu]3+ to Na2S (HS− in solution at pH 7.4) in both 10 mM HEPES and 10 mM Tris-HCl was investigated. The addition of HS−(aq) ions to a solution of [Tb.1

The Groebke–Blackburn–Bienaymé reaction in its maturity: innovation and improvements since its 21st birthday (2019–2023)

• Cristina Martini,
• Muhammad Idham Darussalam Mardjan and
• Andrea Basso

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1839–1879, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.162

• a [1,5]-H shift [19], indazolo[3’,2’:2,3]imidazo[1,5-c]quinazolin-6(5H)-one 18 (Scheme 7) [20]. The favorable host–guest interaction between 14 and the reactants (demonstrated by 2D NMR and FTIR spectroscopy as well as by scanning electron micrography), combined with the acidity of the succinyl

Diameter-selective extraction of single-walled carbon nanotubes by interlocking with Cu-tethered square nanobrackets

• Guoqing Cheng and
• Naoki Komatsu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1298–1307, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.113

• Guoqing Cheng Naoki Komatsu Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan 10.3762/bjoc.20.113 Abstract We have been working with carbon nanotube separation through host–guest chemistry. Herein, a new macrocyclic host molecule, Cu-tethered

• host–guest chemistry has advantages in terms of the rational design of the host molecules to target specific structures and the thorough removal of the dispersants, host molecules in our case, to recover pristine carbon nanotubes (CNTs) after separation. Moreover, the association constants of the

Spin and charge interactions between nanographene host and ferrocene

• Akira Suzuki,
• Yuya Miyake,
• Ryoga Shibata and
• Kazuyuki Takai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1011–1019, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.89

• Fe2p peaks and the increase in shake-up peak intensity of the C1s in the XPS spectrum proved the emergence of charge-transfer host–guest interaction in FeCp2-ACFs-150, supported by the red-shift of the G-band in the Raman spectrum. The six-times enhancement in the spin concentration in FeCp2-ACFs-150

• compared with ACFs indicates the spin magnetism of the non-magnetic guest FeCp2+ molecule induced by a charge-transfer host–guest interaction in the nanographene host. The larger ESR linewidth than that expected from the dipolar interaction estimated by the localized spin concentration suggests the

• interactions between the nanographene host and the guest molecules will be a promising strategy for developing a new class of molecular magnets. Keywords: charge transfer; ferrocene; graphene; host–guest; spin interaction; Introduction Nanocarbon host material, which is based on elements free from resource

Switchable molecular tweezers: design and applications

• Pablo Msellem,
• Maksym Dekthiarenko,
• Nihal Hadj Seyd and
• Guillaume Vives

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 504–539, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.45

• using a similar principle [24]. The protection from the solvent of the intercalated Pt guest enables its fluorescence emission and is accompanied by the induction of chirality in the resulting host–guest complex. A significant enhancement of the circular dichroism response of the chiral guest is

• observed confirming the formation of the host–guest complex. Again, protonation of the pyridine results in a guest release and a loss of the CD signal. Thus, this system provides a peculiar example of the control of chirality by a pH stimulus. A similar moiety employed for acid–base-triggered

• can abduct it from the terpyridine. The luminescence properties in the closed state can also be modulated by the formation of host–guest complexes. This happens with ligands complexing the metal center only, such as terpyridines and phenanthrolines. In fact, the counterions of the zinc2+ cation and

Enhanced host–guest interaction between [10]cycloparaphenylene ([10]CPP) and [5]CPP by cationic charges

• Eiichi Kayahara,
• Yoshiyuki Mizuhata and
• Shigeru Yamago

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 436–444, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.38

• , [10]CPP⊃[5]CPP2+. While the same host–guest complex consisted of neutral CPPs, [10]CPP⊃[5]CPP, was already reported, the cationic complex showed an about 20 times higher association constant in (CDCl2)2 at 25 °C (103 mol L−1). Electrochemical and photophysical analyses and theoretical calculations

• suggested the partial electron transfer from [10]CPP to [5]CPP2+ in the complex, and this charge-transfer (CT) interaction is most likely the origin of the higher association constant of the dicationic complex than the neutral one. Keywords: charge-transfer; cycloparaphenylene; dication; host–guest

• [23][24][25][26] and CH–π interactions [27][28][29][30], forming the corresponding host–guest complexes. In addition, the concave outer surface of the CPP also interacts with the convex surface of the CPP (Figure 1b) [31][32][33], resulting in the formation of the shortest possible double-layer CNTs

Spatial arrangements of cyclodextrin host–guest complexes in solution studied by ¹³C NMR and molecular modelling

• Konstantin Lebedinskiy,
• Ivan Barvík,
• Zdeněk Tošner,
• Ivana Císařová,
• Jindřich Jindřich and
• Radim Hrdina

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 331–335, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.33

• modelling and solid-state X-ray analysis, provides a detailed description of the spatial arrangement of cyclodextrin host–guest complexes in solution. The chiral cavity of the cyclodextrin molecule creates an anisotropic environment for the guest molecule resulting in a splitting of its prochiral carbon

• crystallization of host–guest complexes and their crystallographic analysis. Keywords: anisotropy; 13C NMR; cyclodextrin; host–guest complexes; Introduction Complexation of organic and inorganic compounds with α-, β-, or γ-cyclodextrins and their derivatives [1] is an established tool used in medicine for drug

• calorimetry [13]. Single crystals for many host–guest complexes have been prepared, and their structure elucidated by X-ray crystallography [14][15]. Conformations of host–guest complexes in solution have been studied by 2D NMR experiments [11] (NOESY, ROESY) or proposed computationally [16][17] based on

Facile access to pyridinium-based bent aromatic amphiphiles: nonionic surface modification of nanocarbons in water

• Lorenzo Catti,
• Shinji Aoyama and
• Michito Yoshizawa

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 32–40, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.5

• H2O (2.7 mL), the suspension was sonicated with a probe sonicator (40 kHz, 150 W, 10 min), centrifuged (16,000g, 10 min), and then filtrated (200 nm pore-size membrane filter) to yield a clear brown solution containing host–guest composite (PA-OCH3)n·(C60)m. The UV–visible analysis clearly showed new

• guest-derived absorption bands around 340 nm and 420–650 nm, confirming the solubilization of C60 in water (Figure 4b). Similar host–guest composites were also obtained using PA-CH3, PA-OH, and PA-Im under the same conditions. It is noteworthy that the C60-solubilization efficiency varied depending on

• size of these nanocarbons, the resultant host–guest composites were subjected to UV–visible analysis without further filtration following centrifugation (16,000g, ≈10 min). The obtained UV–visible spectra of the blackish, clear solutions of (PA-OCH3)n·(GN)m, (PA-OCH3)n·(s-CNT)m, and (PA-OCH3)n·(m-CNT)m

Tying a knot between crown ethers and porphyrins

• Maksym Matviyishyn and
• Bartosz Szyszko

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1630–1650, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.120

• synthesis of three-dimensional cryptands by Lehn [5], and spherands by Cram [6]. Later on, various classes of macrocyclic compounds were designed, demonstrating remarkable features in areas spreading from simple coordination chemistry [7], through host–guest chemistry, sensing [8], biomedicine [9], and

• ]. The CsF binding led to a supramolecular self-assembly process, inducing a sandwich host–guest complex formation in the solid state (Scheme 2). It was established that fluoride is preferred over any other halide anions. The binding of the ion pairs was observed in highly polar solvent media, but in the

• case of 10% methanol/chloroform, excess addition of CsF caused self-assembly into the sandwich host–guest. An analogous product (6-CsCl)2 was demonstrated to form upon CsCl binding. An interesting behaviour was demonstrated for the calix[4]pyrrole-calix[4]arene receptor 7, in which two macrocycles are

A fluorescent probe for detection of Hg²⁺ ions constructed by tetramethyl cucurbit[6]uril and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene

• Xiaoqian Chen,
• Naqin Yang,
• Yue Ma,
• Xinan Yang and
• Peihua Ma

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 864–872, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.63

• cucurbit[6]uril (TMeQ[6]) and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene (G) were used to construct a supramolecular fluorescent probe G@TMeQ[6]. The host–guest interaction between TMeQ[6] and G was investigated using 1H NMR spectroscopy, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and various experimental techniques. The results show

• that TMeQ[6] and G form an inclusion complex with a host–guest ratio of 1:1 and the equilibrium association constant (Ka) was 2.494 × 104 M−1. The G@TMeQ[6] fluorescent probe can sensitively recognize Hg2+ ions by fluorescence enhancement. The linear range is 0.33 × 10−5–1.65 × 10−5 mol·L−1, R2

• ; fluorescent probe; Hg2+ ion recognition; host–guest chemistry; tetramethyl cucurbit[6]uril; Introduction Mercury, as one of the most toxic heavy metal pollutants, not only seriously pollutes the ecological environment but also causes great harm to human health. Mercury and inorganic mercury ions (Hg2+) in