Inclusion and Optical Resolution of Guest Molecules by Selected Synthetic Dihydroxy- and Trihydroxy-Host Compounds Containing Heterocyclic Scaffolds

Abstract

This review focuses on structural aspects of inclusion complexation between selected host molecules that contain - OH sensor groups appended to, or associated with, heterocyclic moieties, and both non-chiral and chiral guests. Among the host compounds discussed, those derived from tartaric acid feature prominently as they have been extensively explored, especially in the context of optical resolution of racemic guests. Of the various techniques employed in the study of the derived solid-state inclusion complexes, single crystal X-ray studies have contributed significantly to an understanding of the roles of hydrogen bonding, van der Waals, C-H···π and π-π interactions in complex stabilization. For the host molecules described, the literature surveyed accordingly provides many case studies that feature X-ray analysis as a primary tool for investigating the mechanistic aspects of inclusion phenomena such as optical resolution and enantioselective photoreactivity.