Calixarene-mediated host-guest interactions leading to supramolecular assemblies: visualization by microscopy

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Host-Guest Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Host-guest chemistry utilizing supramolecules like calixarenes is crucial for diverse applications.
• Calixarenes offer controllable cavities and functionalization for host-guest interactions.
• Previous studies primarily used spectroscopy, with limited focus on microscopy for supramolecular architectures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the formation of supramolecular architectures from calixarene host-guest interactions using microscopy.
• To consolidate research on calixarene supramolecular systems over the past decade.
• To highlight microscopy's role in understanding these interactions and their applications.

Main Methods:

• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
• Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• Spectroscopic techniques for complementary data

Main Results:

• Calixarene supramolecular conjugates form diverse micro and nanometric morphologies.
• Morphologies are influenced by guest species presence.
• Microscopy provides crucial insights into supramolecular architectures in solution, at interfaces, and on surfaces.

Conclusions:

• Microscopy is essential for characterizing calixarene-based supramolecular architectures.
• Host-guest interactions drive the formation of functional supramolecular assemblies.
• These systems have broad applications including sensing, antibacterial activity, and self-assembly into gels and vesicles.