Themed collection Supramolecular & Macrocyclic chemistry

Advances of macrocycle and cage-based materials for iodine capture, with an emphasis on the structure of hosts, complexation mechanism and adsorption efficiency, have been summarized.

Calixarenes are “chalice like” phenol-based macrocycles that are one of the most fascinating studied scaffolds in supramolecular chemistry.

This article introduces the concept of “frustrated π-stacking,” strategically balancing attractive (π–π interaction) and repulsive (steric hindrance) forces in self-assembly to exert control over the sizes, sequences of π-stacks, and slip-stacked structures.

In this review, we provide the very first comprehensive exposition of artificial potassium transporters developed mostly over the past ten years.

Cyclodextrin (CD) is widely used in supramolecular assembly due to its availability, functionality and excellent biocompatibility. In recent years, new opportunities of CD in supramolecular assembly have emerged, including CD-based frameworks, crystalline self-assembly and catalyzed assembly.

This Feature Article summarizes the recent advances in the chemical reaction mediated supramolecular hydrogels and provides perspectives for further advances.

This feature article focuses on recent water-soluble macrocyclic compounds based on organic dye chromophores, and introduces their applications such as molecular recognition, drug release and phototheranostics.

This review summarizes multi-dimensional supramolecular organic luminescent materials, illustrating the relationship between assembly and luminescence as well as the present challenges impeding the development of supramolecular luminescent systems.

This review comprehensively summarizes circularly polarized luminescence materials from chiral macrocycles, especially chiral macrocyclic hosts and their derivatives.

Dual reactivity based dynamic covalent chemistry was developed via activating/switching the reaction pathways of ring-chain tautomers toward diverse reversible systems. The underlying mechanistic insights and versatile applications are summarized.

Studies on various macrocyclic arenes have received increasing attention due to their straightforward syntheses, convenient derivatization, and unique complexation properties.

Fluorescence-enhanced supra-amphiphiles based on (WP5)₂⊃ENDT_n were constructed successfully. When n = 9, they can self-assemble into uniform micelles with an average diameter of about 90 nm and be further applied in cell imaging.

Oligomers of benzoylalanine-based amidothiourea, consisting of 4 β-turns spaced by meta-substituted benzenes, assembled into supramolecular helices in CH₃CN, but not those containing less turns or 4 turns but spaced by para-substituted benzenes.

A sensitive and facilely synthesized fluorescent probe, QMC11, was designed for visualizing AEP.

A two-dimensional metal–organic framework assembled from scandium-based octahedral cages for the selective capture of sulfur hexafluoride.

Two Cu(II) assemblies were constructed, and the relationship between the structure/coordination environment and photocatalytic CO₂ reduction under visible-light irradiation was explored.

Herein, we report the first example of chiral donor–acceptor cage DA-2 displaying efficient circularly polarized thermally activated delayed fluorescence (CP-TADF) with |g_lum| values up to 2.1 × 10⁻³ and PLQY of 32%.

This work investigates how dihydrophenazine ligands and their conformational changes affect the assembly of coordination cages. Self-assembly, in turn, can tune the conformation of dihydrophenazine units and their photophysical and redox properties.

A supramolecular catalytic approach that utilizes ion pair segregation and CO₂ fixation is presented for efficient synthesis of cyclic carbonates under metal- and solvent-free conditions.

An arm modification strategy of tethering electron-rich arms on a central macrocyclic scaffold endows an artificial hourglass channel with weak cation selectivity.

The self-assembled DNA/Fmoc-amino acids/Cu²⁺ material exhibits remarkable catechol oxidase-mimetic activity towards catalyzing colorimetric oxidative reaction, which are employed for selective and sensitive detection of DNA hybridization.

We report a rational strategy for the generation of a reactive ¹O₂ system based on the control of hierarchical assemblies of PS-based amphiphiles with fundamental function and morphologically different architectures.

A novel hyperbranched polyphthalocyanine micelle with dual-modal PTT/PDT functions was developed for a highly efficient non-antibiotic bacteria eradication under 808 nm NIR window.

We demonstrate molecular-conformation-dependent macroscopic supramolecular self-assembly (MSA) driven by electrostatic interactions.

Multifunctional metallacycles with solid-state emission are highly important in cancer therapy.

An effective histamine sensing technique was created using cucurbit[7]uril-CQDs by utilizing the host–guest chemistry.

A supramolecular artificial light-harvesting system with two-step sequential energy transfer processes was fabricated for the photocatalysis of a cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction.

Metal–organic supramolecular polymers with multicolor CPL and handedness inversion were constructed from the co-assembly of pyridine-cyanostilbene-cholesterol (PCSPCC) and metal salts by modulating the treatment modes, solvents, and metal ions.

This research reveals non-planar macrocyclic clusters, self-assembled from [Mo₂O₂S₂]²⁺ units templated by organophosphates. These clusters serve as molecular-based proton conductors with high conductivity and ideal for studying proton transport mechanisms.

Metallo-helicoids are constructed by intermolecular coordination interactions between covalent linear polymer and tritopic/hexatopic molecular templates.

A cyclic catalyst was prepared which initiates the living polymerisation of isocyanide monomers and macromonomers, affording various well-defined cyclic polymers with predictable molar mass and low distribution.

A supramolecular framework is constructed through a 4+2 host–guest interaction between pillar[5]arene-modified polyoxometalate and guest-grafting porphyrin for enantiomeric membrane separation via a simple filtration.

A tripodal hexaurea receptor enables reversible uptake and release of phosphate anions from water under the control of pH.

The utilization of a complementary photo-isomerization monomer pair realizes dimension-based topological transformation of the resulting supramolecular polymer.

Herein, a metal-free hydroxyfluorooxoborate (NH₄)[C(NH₂)₃][B₃O₃F₄(OH)] has been synthesized using the strategy of heterologous substitution. Tunable structure and optical properties have been achieved via varied A-site cation substitution.

The lack of targeting, severe toxicity on normal tissues have become an intractable limitation of doxorubicin (DOX)-based chemotherapy. A biotin-modified calix[4]arene based therapeutic agent BPCA4 has been designed for the delivery of DOX to alleviate the adverse side effects.

The activation of alkynes was achieved by Se⋯π bonding, enabling cyclization of 1,6-diynes to take place.

A supramolecular cathode with high transparency and dynamic stability is developed by interface modification on a polymer conductor for intrinsically stretchable near-infrared photodiodes.

Supramolecular cascade assembly based on a triazine pyridinium derivative extended an efficient FRET process to achieve two-photon NIR targeted cell imaging.

A phosphorescence enhancement of pyridinium macrocycles/monomers phosphors are realized with up to 14.7-fold prolonging of phosphorescence lifetimes and visible afterglow by doping into poly(vinylalcohol) (PVA) matrix.

Hematoxylin has a V-shaped chiral geometry, but its potential in chiroptical self-assembled materials is underdeveloped.

A nickel-based ultrathin catalyst film is assembled in situ from a solution of Ni(OAc)₂ and a Schiff-base ligand L (L = 3-methoxy-salicylidene-glycine).

Enantiomers of Tröger's base-based [3]arenes R_6N-E[3] and S_6N-E[3] were synthesized successfully as two optically pure Tröger's base-based macrocycles in which three Tröger's base subunits were incorporated.

We report an efficient strategy for the separation of m-bromotoluene and o-bromotoluene based on nonporous adaptive crystals of perbromoethylated pillar[5]arenes.