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Microwave synthesis of cucurbit[n]urils
Nial J Wheate1, Nilesh Patel, Oliver B Sutcliffe
1Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, John Arbuthnott Building, 27 Taylor Street, Glasgow, G4 0NR, UK.
Background:
Cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]; n = 5, 6, 7, 8 or 10) are a family of macrocycles made from the acid-catalyzed condensation of glycoluril and formaldehyde.
Results:
The synthesis of CB[n] using microwave radiation has been examined and the effect of acid type, reaction time and temperature on the distribution of products has been determined. Synthesis in HCl yields CB[5], CB[6], CB[7] and CB[8] in 10 min and is most efficient at 160 °C. Synthesis in H(2)SO(4) yields mostly CB[6] in 3 min and is most efficient at 160 °C.
Conclusion:
Microwave synthesis provides an efficient and cost-effective method for the large-scale production of CB[n] for a range of applications, particularly drug delivery.
