title: Uptake of Hydrocarbons in Aqueous Solution by Encapsulation in Acyclic Cucurbit[n]uril-Type Molecular Containers.
abstract: The ability of two water-soluble acyclic cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) type containers, whose hydrophobic cavity is defined by a glycoluril tetramer backbone and terminal aromatic (benzene, naphthalene) sidewalls, to act as solubilizing agents for hydrocarbons in water is described. (1) H NMR spectroscopy studies and phase-solubility diagrams establish that the naphthalene-walled container performs as well as, or better than, CB[7] and CB[8] in promoting the uptake of poorly soluble hydrocarbons into aqueous solution through formation of host-hydrocarbon complexes. The naphthalene-walled acyclic CB[n] container is able to extract large hydrocarbons from crude oil into aqueous solution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoyong
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8188-0569
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. LIsaacs@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Lyle
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4079-332X
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Isaacs
keywords: cucurbit[n]uril; host-guest systems; hydrocarbons; hydrophobic effect; supramolecular chemistry