![](http://homkat.nl/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/d0ob01081b-g-800x715.jpg)
Xander Schaapkens, Joël H. Holdener, Jens Tolboom, Eduard O. Bobylev, Prof. Dr. Joost N. H. Reek, Dr. Tiddo J. Mooibroek
ChemPhysChem, 2021, 22(12), 1187-1192
DOI: 10.1002/cphc.202100229
![](http://homkat.nl/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cphc202100229.jpg)
Abstract
Designing compounds for the selective molecular recognition of carbohydrates is a challenging task for supramolecular chemists. Macrocyclic compounds that incorporate isophtalamide or bisurea spacers linking two aromatic moieties have proven effective for the selective recognition of all-equatorial carbohydrates. Here, we explore the molecular recognition properties of an octa-urea [Pd2L4]4+cage complex (4). It was found that small anions like NO3−and BF4−bind inside 4and inhibit binding of n-octyl glycosides. When the large non-coordinating anion ‘BArF’ was used, 4showed excellent selectivity towards n-octyl-α-D-Mannoside with binding in the order of Ka≈16 M−1versus non-measurable affinities for other glycosides including n-octyl-β-D-Glucoside (in CH3CN/H2O 91 : 9).