A 2,3-dialkoxynaphthalene-based naphthocage

Abstract

A 2,3-dialkoxynaphthalene-based naphthocage has been synthesized. This naphthocage prefers to bind small organic cations with its low-symmetry conformation, which is in contrast to 2,6-dialkoxynaphthalene-based naphthocages. Self-sorting of these two naphthocages with two structurally similar guests tetramethylammonium and tetraethylammonium was achieved as well.