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Inherently chiral, barrel-shaped, macrocyclic hosts such as cyclohexanohemicucurbit[n]urils (cycHC[n]) bind zinc porphyrins and trifluoroacetic acid externally in halogenated solvents. In the current study, we tested a set of eighteen organic guests with various functional groups and polarity, namely, thiophenols, phenols, and carboxylic and sulfonic acids, to identify a preference toward hydrogen bond–donating molecules for homologous cycHC[6] and cycHC[8]. Guests were characterized by Hirshfeld partial charges on acidic hydrogens and their binding by 1H and 19F NMR titrations. Evaluation of association constants revealed the complexity of the system and indirectly proved an external binding with stoichiometry over 2:1 for both homologs. It was found that overall binding strength is influenced by the stoichiometry of the formed complexes, the partial atomic charge on the hydrogen atom of the hydrogen bond donor, and the bulkiness of the guest. Additionally, a study on the formation of complexes with halogen anions (Cl− and Br−) in methanol and chloroform, analyzed by 1H NMR, did not confirm complexation. The current study widens the scope of potential applications for host molecules by demonstrating the formation of hydrogen-bonded complexes with multisite hydrogen bond acceptors such as cycHC[6] and cycHC[8].

We found that cyclohexanohemicucurbit[8]uril encapsulates five- and six-membered sulfur- and oxygen-containing unsubstituted heterocycles and can be used as a selective sorption material for the extraction of sulfur-heterocycles like 1,3-dithiolane and α‑lipoic acid from water.

This research with title "Dynamic chiral cyclohexanohemicucurbit[12]uril" is dedicated to the memory of late Professor Hans J. Reich.Abstract:NMR and DFT studies of chiral cyclohexanohemicucurbit[12]uril indicate that the macrocycle adopts a concave octagon shape with three distinct ranges of conformational flexibility in solution. Methylene bridge flipping occurs at temperatures above 265 K, while urea monomers rotate at temperatures above 308 K resulting in the loss of confined space within the macrocycle.

Solvent-free, atom-efficient, and mechanochemically activated reactions have emerged as synthetic strategy for sustainable chemistry. Herein we report a new mechanochemical approach for the amide c...