Recent advances in supramolecular macrocycle-based artificial light-harvesting systems

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Photochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Artificial light-harvesting systems (ALHSs) mimic natural photosynthesis but face challenges like poor orientation and aggregation-caused quenching.
• Supramolecular macrocycles offer solutions through pre-organized scaffolds and tunable interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the use of five macrocycle families (pillar[n]arenes, cucurbit[n]urils, calixarenes, cyclodextrins, and supramolecular coordination complexes) in constructing ALHSs.
• To establish a framework linking macrocycle structure, properties, and applications in photochemistry.

Main Methods:

• Systematic examination of structural advantages and assembly mechanisms of five macrocycle families.
• Emphasis on their application in constructing ALHSs with single-step to cascaded Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET).

Main Results:

• Macrocycles enable controlled donor-acceptor orientation, mitigate aggregation-caused quenching, and improve stability in complex media.
• Demonstrated applications include aqueous photocatalysis, near-infrared bioimaging, and singlet oxygen generation.

Conclusions:

• Macrocycle-assisted supramolecular systems provide a rational design approach for advanced photofunctional materials.
• This review guides the development of ALHSs by leveraging macrocyclic properties, moving beyond simple photosynthesis analogies.