Small-Ring Inclusion Hosts. Development of a New Clathrate Family

Abstract

Abstract A new class of inclusion hosts featuring three- and four-membered ring compounds with functional groups and bulky substituents is developed. These hosts form clathrates with a variety of uncharged organic molecules ranging from polar protic to apolar compounds. Formation and selectivity depend in a systematic manner on structural parameters of the host, such as the nature, number, and position of functional groups, the substituents and ring size. Crystal structures of some relevant inclusion compounds revealing the building principles of the new clathrate family are discussed.