A novel host compound, 9,9-bis(4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)fluorene, which binds volatile guests tightly and non-volatile guests loosely

Abstract

Inclusion complexes formed by the title host compound with volatile guests such as dimethyl ether, diethyl ether, acetone and MeOH release the guests at much higher temperatures (108, 114, 128, and 113 °C, respectively) than their boiling points. In contrast, the inclusion complexes with the non-volatile guests DMSO and DMF release them at much lower temperatures (121 and 120 °C) than their boiling points (189 and 153 °C). X-Ray studies reveal that the volatile guests are enclosed tightly by the host molecules, while the non-volatile guests are accommodated solitarily in channels and are easily released through these channels upon heating.