A SYNTHETIC CAVITY ASSEMBLES THROUGH SELF-COMPLEMENTARY HYDROGEN-BONDS

The occurrence of identical subunits in many biological systems suggests that selfcomplementarily is both useful and advantageous for the organization of these units. This notion is applied to the synthesis of molecules of 1 that dimerize reversibly. The dimer—which resembles a tennis ball held together by hydrogen bonds along the seam—appears capable of encapsulating smaller solvent molecules. (Figure Presented.) Copyright © 1993 by VCH Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Germany