Versatile and convenient lattice hosts derived from singly bridged triarylmethane frameworks, X-ray crystal structures of three inclusion compounds

Abstract

A new family of host molecules, based on the singly bridged triarylmethanol and triarylacetic acid frameworks, is described. These hosts form crystalline inclusions with a variety of uncharged organic molecules ranging from protic dipolar to apolar compounds (130 different species). The formation and stoicheiometry depend in a systematic manner on structural parameters of the host, such as the nature of the functional group and the substituents, and on the substituent positions. The crystal structures of three inclusion compounds [1a·benzene (8:3), 1a·dioxane (4:3) and 4c·EtOH (1:1)] have been studied by X-ray diffraction. They reveal the building principles of the new inclusion family. In the crystals of 1a·benzene (8:3), the benzene is interstitially entrapped by H-bonded teramer clusters of 1a. Crystals of 1a·dioxane (4:3) are built of H-bonded 2:1 host–guest complexes including interstitial molecules of dioxane. In the case of 4c·EtOH (1:1), the building principle is formation of 2:2 host–guest clusters via a twelve-membered H-bonded ring.