Supramolecular systems prepared using terpyridine-containing pillararene

Abstract

The recent progress in the preparation of terpyridine-containing pillararene as well as the utilization of such building blocks for fabricating external stimulus-responsive supramolecular systems, is summarized in this review. Different terpyridine-containing pillararene, such as terpyridyl mono-/bi-/multiple functionalized pillararene have been prepared, and various synthesis strategies have been employed in the preparation procedures via diverse bonds and interactions including noncovalent interactions, covalent and mechanical bonds. Due to different molecular topology and structural architectures, such as molecular sizes, lengths and angles, integrated hybrid compounds having terpyridine and pillararene subunits could perform as building blocks for the construction of diverse supramolecular systems with multiple dimensional morphologies, including supramolecular spheres, polymers and networks. Both host–guest interactions and metal coordination have taken advantage of pillararene cavities and terpyridine moieties, respectively. In addition, because of supramolecular interactions and metal coordination, terpyridine-containing pillararene-based supramolecular systems are flexible and controllable, and their assembly/disassembly could be tuned according to external stimuli, leading to the formation of smart materials.