STRUCTURAL CHEMISTRY AND GUEST INCLUSION OF A NEW SUPRAMOLECULAR MATERIAL SHOWING SENSITIVITY TO ORGANIC-SOLVENT VAPORS

Clathrate formation-the formation of crystalline inclusion compounds-i s one approach to chemical sensing of vapors and gases. The synthesis of a new diol host compound is described and absorptive clathrate form ation and thermal clathrate decomposition are reported for acetone as the guest. It is shown that the sorptive uptake of a guest vapor by th e crystalline host compound is not merely surface adsorption but true clathrate formation, involving a solid-state transformation. It is sug gested that the use of the host as a chemical sensor is not far off.