Molecular containers
Guest editors Pablo Ballester, Makoto Fujita and Julius Rebek, Jr. introduce the Molecular Containers issue of Chemical Society Reviews.
Review Article
Transition metal catalysis in confined spaces
This review discusses different strategies to provide transition metal catalysts with a second coordination sphere and the effect this has in catalysis.
Biomimetic cavity-based metal complexes
The biomimetic association of a metal ion with a cavity allows selective recognition, unusual redox properties and new reactivity patterns.
Review Article
Cucurbiturils: from synthesis to high-affinity binding and catalysis
Major developments in the synthesis of cucurbiturils and applications related to their high-affinity binding and catalysis have recently taken place.
Diffusion NMR of molecular cages and capsules
The applications of diffusion NMR and DOSY in the field of molecular capsules and cages are reviewed focusing on the added value of using these methods when studying such systems in solution.
Molecular containers assembled through the hydrophobic effect
This review focuses on molecular containers formed by assembly processes driven by the hydrophobic effect, and summarizes the progress made in the field over the last ten years.
Molecular containers in complex chemical systems
This review discusses recent advances in the use of molecular containers in complex chemical systems, focusing on three aspects: host–guest behaviour, structural transformations and reactivity modulation.
Calix[4]pyrroles: versatile molecular containers with ion transport, recognition, and molecular switching functions
Calix[4]pyrroles function as “molecular containers” as illustrated by their ability to act as carriers for the through-membrane transport of ions and as “monomers” in the construction of aggregated supramolecular constructs.
Review Article
Gas-phase chemistry of molecular containers
The use of mass spectrometry for the investigation of supramolecular capsules and containers in solution and the gas-phase is reviewed.
Self-assembled capsules based on tetrafunctionalized calix[4]resorcinarene cavitands
The hemispherical structures of calix[4]resorcinarene cavitands are suitable for forming capsular assemblies with guest encapsulations through various intermolecular interactions.
Gated molecular baskets
The process of molecular gating is important for controlling the trafficking of guests to and from artificial molecular capsules.
Soft templates in encapsulation complexes
The ethanolamide of arachidonic acid (anandamide) nucleates the assembly of a capsule incorporating 8 spacer units.
About this collection
This Chemical Society Reviews themed issue on molecular containers, guest edited by Pablo Ballester, Makoto Fujita and Julius Rebek, relates the behavior of molecules in small spaces. The spaces are provided by synthetic containers – cavitands, capsules, synthetic receptors, etc. – that fold around their target guests, isolate them from the bulk solvent, provide a hydrophobic environment and present the guests to each other in the limited space. New articles will be added to this collection as they are published.