CALIX[N]ARENES - POWERFUL BUILDING-BLOCKS OF SUPRAMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY

Current methodology provides ready access to the bowl-shaped calix[n]a renes. Further chemical manipulation of these unique molecular structu res provided a means to modifying their basic skeleton. These molecule s were found to be extremely useful in host-guest chemistry due to the ir propensity to complex the ions and/or neutral molecules inside thei r cavities. They are thus ideal building blocks for the construction o f various types of more sophisticated host molecules, sensors, and lar ger molecular systems with well-predefined structures. Some recent adv ances made in this field concerning the usage of calix[n]arenes in sup ramolecular chemistry are summarized in this review.