PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF CYCLODEXTRIN HOST-GUEST COMPLEXES

Cyclodextrins, when used as molecular receptors, can induce significan t modifications of the photophysical and photochemical deactivation pa thways of aromatic molecules. On the basis of examples, taken from the authors' work, the factors determining the behaviour of a photoexcite d guest molecule in a cyclodextrin cavity are discussed with particula r attention to the role of cydodextrin as constraint to molecular degr ees of freedom and as tool for controlling the evolution of reaction i ntermediates to final photoproducts.