Anion binding in covalent and self-assembled molecular capsules

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Host-Guest Chemistry

Background:

• Inspired by biological receptors, synthetic receptors were developed to mimic anion binding.
• Early research focused on unimolecular capsules for simple monoatomic anions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of anion binding in molecular capsules.
• To highlight the progression of capsule design and anion encapsulation capabilities.

Main Methods:

• Review of 42 years of scientific literature on molecular capsules and anion binding.
• Analysis of the evolution of capsule structures from unimolecular to aggregated systems.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of increasing cavity size enabling polyatomic anion encapsulation and co-encapsulation.
• Shift towards using self-complementary molecular aggregates for synthetic economy.

Conclusions:

• Molecular capsules have evolved significantly in complexity and function for anion binding.
• The field offers a broad overview relevant to supramolecular and non-supramolecular chemists.