title: Recent advances in pillar[n]arenes: synthesis and applications based on host-guest interactions.
abstract: Pillar[n]arenes (n = 5-15) are a novel class of macrocyclic molecules with hydroquinone as the repeating unit linked by methylene bridges at para-positions. Introduced by T. Ogoshi for the first time in 2008, pillararenes have attracted increasing interest and have been widely studied during the last eight years, due to their unique structural advantages as host molecules, such as symmetrical rigid architecture, electron-rich cavities and facile functional modification. In this review, we first describe the syntheses of pillar[n]arenes including cyclooligomerization of pillar[n]arenes and modification of pillar[n]arenes after cyclooligomerization, summarising almost twenty different kinds of guest motifs and dividing them into three types: cationic, neutral and anionic motifs. The main section of this review examines the applications of pillar[n]arenes based on the host-guest interactions in different research fields, including biology, materials science and environmental science. Finally, future research directions and potential for novel applications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China. peiyx@nwafu.edu.cn peizc@nwafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Kui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China. peiyx@nwafu.edu.cn peizc@nwafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yuxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China. peiyx@nwafu.edu.cn peizc@nwafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Natural Products & Chemical Biology, College of Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China. peiyx@nwafu.edu.cn peizc@nwafu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pei
mesh_terms: D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D047028:Macrocyclic Compounds; D000644:Quaternary Ammonium Compounds