A [3]Rotaxane Host Selects Between Stereoisomers

Abstract

What has it got in its pockets? A new approach to the selective binding and reporting of stereoisomers using mechanical bonding to produce a well-defined three-dimensional binding pocket was recently reported by Beer and co-workers. The highly stereoselective binding of stereoisomers by the reported [3]rotaxane suggest that the use of the mechanical bond to engineer a binding pocket has great potential for the development of stereoselective hosts.

Keywords: anions; host-guest systems; rotaxanes; stereoselectivity; supramolecular chemistry.