Metal coordination to a deep cavitand promotes binding selectivities in water

One goal of supramolecular chemistry is the creation of synthetic receptors that have a high affinity for hydrophilic molecules in water. We found that cavitands with upper rims extended by pyridyl groups coax hydrophilic guests into the cavity where they are shielded from the aqueous environment. The ability of Pd(II) to coordinate adjacent pyridyl groups leads to increased selectivity for highly hydrophilic solvent molecules such as acetone, 1,4-dioxane and tetrahydrofuran in water. Analysis of the binding behavior indicated that metal-coordination restricts the container entrance, shrinks the effective cavity volume and increases the energetic barrier to guest exchange.