Crystalline Inclusion Compounds Derived from Derivatives of Mandelic Acid. Host Synthesis, Inclusion Formation, and X-Ray Structures of a Free Host Compound and of DMSO Inclusion Complexes in Both Racemic and Optically Resolved Forms

New chiral host compounds based on mandelic acid derivatives having methyl (6a, b and 8a, b) or bromo substituents (7a, b) attached to the phenyl ring of mandelic acid and involving additional aromatic groups were synthesized. The inclusion properties of both the racemic and the optically resolved host species are reported, including solvent co-crystallization as well as chiroselective and vapour sorptive inclusion. The structures of the free racemic host compound 6b and of the DMSO inclusion compounds of optically resolved and racemic 8 (8a and 8b, respectively) have been determined by X-ray analysis. Enantiomeric pairs of molecules in 6b form centro-symmetric dimers by mutual hydrogen bonding of one hydroxyl group while the other is involved in O-–H ... interactions. The guest molecules in the DMSO complexes of 8a and 8b are bound via hydrogen bonds to two host molecules related by translation along crystallographic axes. Parallels to previous hosts of this type are drawn.