Host-Guest Compounds Oligomeric Cucurbituril Complexes: from Peculiar Assemblies to Emerging Applications

Xue Yang (1) , Ruibing Wang (2) , Anthony Kermagoret (1) , David Bardelang (1)

1 ICR - Institut de Chimie Radicalaire
2 UMac - University of Macau

Proteins are an endless source of inspiration. By carefully tuning the amino-acid sequence of proteins, nature made them evolve from primary to quaternary structures, a property specific to protein oligomers and often crucial to accomplish their function. On the other hand, the synthetic macrocycles cucurbiturils (CBs) have shown outstanding recognition properties in water, and a growing number of (host)n:(guest)n supramolecular polymers involving CBs have been reported. However, the burgeoning field of discrete (n:n) host:guest oligomers has just started to attract attention. While 2:2 complexes are the major oligomers, 3:3 and up to 6:6 oligomers have been described, some associated with emerging applications, specific to the (n:n) arrangements. Design rules to target (n:n) host:guest oligomers are proposed toward new advanced host:guest systems.

Mots clés: cucurbituril; host–guest; n:n complexes; oligomers; supramolecular chemistry

Domaines: Chimie

Xue Yang, Ruibing Wang, Anthony Kermagoret, David Bardelang. Host-Guest Compounds Oligomeric Cucurbituril Complexes: from Peculiar Assemblies to Emerging Applications. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2020, 132, pp.2-15. ⟨10.1002/anie.202004622⟩. ⟨hal-02972332⟩