Recognition of alkyl groups on a polymer chain by cyclodextrins

Polymers having guest moieties on the main chain were prepared by copolymerization of acrylamide with methacrylates or acrylates of n-butanol, isobutyl alcohol, tert-butyl alcohol, n-hexanol, isooctanol and dodecanol. The interactions of the guest moieties with cyclodextrins (CD) were studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The cyclodextrins bound the guest moieties on the polymer chain effectively and selectively. The CDs were able to recognize guests more specifically than low molecular weight guests. This may be due to the fact that CDs are able to include a guest from only one direction.