A self-assembled organic capsule formed from the union of six hexagram-shaped amphiphile molecules.
A discrete 2-nm-sized self-assembled organic capsule was formed from the union of six hexagram-shaped amphiphile molecules in aqueous methanol due to the hydrophobic effect, van der Waals forces, and CH-pi interactions between the chemical components. A couple of hexa-substituted benzene molecules were encapsulated inside the capsule in both solution and the solid state, as was evidenced by 1H NMR spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray analysis.
Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. hiraoka@chem.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Shuichi
S
Hiraoka
Koji
K
Harano
Motoo
M
Shiro
Mitsuhiko
M
Shionoya