Cryptophanes molecular recognition

In 1993 Collet et al. reported the first examples of the binding of a cationic species in water [13]. They showed that water-soluble cryptophanes possessing larger internal cavities could efficiently bind ammonium salt in aqueous solution. For instance, the water-soluble congener 58 of cryptophane-E (Fig. 21.17), possessing three propylenedioxy linkers and six carboxylic acid moieties binds tetramethyl ammonium salts efficiently. The molecular recognition between ammonium... 

The spherically shaped cryptophanes are of much interest in particular for their ability to bind derivatives of methane, achieving for instance chiral discrimination of CHFClBr they allow the study of recognition between neutral receptors and substrates, namely the effect of molecular shape and volume complementarity on selectivity [4.39]. The efficient protection of included molecules by the carcerands [4.40] makes possible the generation of highly reactive species such as cyclobutadiene [4.41a] or orthoquinones [4.41b] inside the cavity. Numerous container molecules [A.38] capable of including a variety of guests have been described. A few representative examples of these various types of compounds are shown in structures 59 (cyclophane) 60 (cubic azacyclophane [4.34]), 61a, 61b ([4]- and [6]-calixa-renes), 62 (cavitand), 63 (cryptophane), 64 (carcerand). 

This review is dedicated to the synthesis of water-soluble cryptophanes and of the closely related hemicryptophane derivatives that were developed more recently. The study of their binding properties with different species and some peculiar properties related to their chiral structure are also described. A particular attention is given to xenon-cryptophane complexes since, as above mentioned, these complexes have played a major role in the development of water-soluble cryptophane derivatives. We describe in a concise manner the different approaches, which have been reported in the literature to introduce hydrophilic moieties onto the cryptophane structure. Finally, we report some physical properties of the water-soluble cryptophane complexes. This mainly concerns the study of their binding properties with neutral molecules or charged species. The preparation of enantiopure cryptophanes has also contributed to the development of this field. Indeed, it was stressed that cryptophanes exhibit remarkable chiroptical and binding properties in water [11]. These properties are also described. The last part of this review is devoted to hemicryptophane derivatives, which are closely related to the cryptophane structure and which allow the functionalization of the inner space of the molecular cavity. These show a renewed interest in their applications in chiral recognition and supramolecular catalysis. 

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