Reversibly tunable lower critical solution temperature utilizing host-guest complexation of pillar[5]arene with triethylene oxide substituents

J Am Chem Soc. 2012 Mar 14;134(10):4577-80. doi: 10.1021/ja300989n. Epub 2012 Mar 1.

Abstract

A thermoresponsive macromolecule consisting of 10 outer triethylene oxide groups and a pillar[5]arene core was prepared. The macromolecule showed lower critical solution temperature behavior. Moreover, its clouding point can be reversibly tuned based on the addition of guest and host compounds; the clouding point increased upon addition of a guest didecylviologen salt and decreased when the competitive host cucurbit[7]uril was added.