Light-Gated Chirality in a Supramolecular Cavitand

Achieving precise and modulable chiral expression on molecular platforms is of great significance for the design and synthesis of chiroptical materials. Herein, we construct a supramolecular cavitand platform that enables programmable locking, switching, and rewriting of chiral information gated by light. A resorcin[4]arene-based cavitand integrates multiple photoisomeriable stilbenes and alternating imidazole segments. By employing an outer-wall binding strategy to bind multiple chiral carboxylic acids, it achieves efficient chirality transfer and enables the construction of a supramolecular chiral cavitand. Photoisomerization of embedded stilbene units, drives pathway-dependent conformational transformations that govern chirality induction, retention, and erasure. Notably, different light channels (365/254 nm) enable distinct outcomes, including preservation of chiral host-guest complexes, disruption of propeller chirality, and complete guest release. Furthermore, chirality can be locked and retained in a propeller form after removing the chiral acids, demonstrating a light-regulated chiral construction. The system further functions as a read-write chiral information platform, allowing visualization, encryption, decryption, and erasure of chiroptical signals through programmable photochemical inputs. This work establishes a strategy for coupling photochemical control with supramolecular confinement, providing a proof-of-concept study of significant importance in chiral informatics.