Separation of nanocarbons by molecular recognition

This review article surveys the author’s work during the last ten years. The research works have been carried out in the interdisciplinary fields of supramolecular, synthetic organic and materials chemistry. This review consists of the following 5 topics; (1) novel synthetic methodology for constructing benzyl ether-linked oxacyclophanes and oxacalixarenes by reductive coupling reactions, (2) preferential precipitation of C₇₀ over C₆₀ with p-halohomooxacalix[3]arenes prepared by the above reductive coupling reactions, (3) highly practical purification of fullerenes by filtration through activated carbon thin layer, (4) host-guest chemistry of C₆₀ and C₇₀ with porphyrin monomers and dimers in solution, and (5) optical resolution of carbon nanotubes through preferential complexation with chiral diporphyrin nanotweezers. New terminology is also proposed in the definition of the structures and stereochemistry of carbon nanotubes.