Triazole functionalized acyclic cucurbit[n]uril-type receptors: host·guest recognition properties

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Organic Synthesis

Background:

• Acyclic cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n])-type receptors are valuable molecular hosts.
• Functionalization of CB[n] receptors can tune their properties and applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel triazole-functionalized acyclic CB[n]-type receptors.
• To evaluate the solubility, self-association, and guest binding properties of these new receptors.

Main Methods:

• Click chemistry was employed for the synthesis of triazole-functionalized acyclic CB[n] receptors.
• Binding constants were determined using titration methods.
• X-ray crystallography was used to elucidate the structure of one receptor.

Main Results:

• Three new acyclic CB[n]-type receptors (2-4) were successfully synthesized.
• Compounds 2-4 demonstrated good water solubility (≥8 mM) and low self-association constants (Ks ≤ 903 M-1).
• Binding affinities towards various guests were quantified and compared to a known receptor.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized triazole-functionalized acyclic CB[n] receptors possess favorable physicochemical properties.
• These receptors show potential for molecular recognition and host-guest chemistry applications.
• Structural insights were gained through X-ray crystallography.