Supramolecular Assemblies from Pillararenes (Micellar, Vesicular and Tubular Formations)

Abstract

Recent research developments in pillararene-based micellar, vesicular and tubular assemblies are highlighted in this chapter. The driving forces in the formation of these assemblies are first discussed. The solvent effect not only influences the solubility of the pillararene derivatives and their inclusion complexes used as building blocks for further assembling, but also provides the key driving force – solvophobic effect – for the formation of supramolecular assemblies in solution. In many assembling cases, the host–guest interactions can offer both the construction strategy and building blocks. Several synthetic strategies for fabricating pillararene-based micellar, vesicular and tubular architectures are described in detail. Furthermore, the potential applications of the resulting multidimensional supramolecular assemblies in the fields of smart materials, sensors, biomimicking and biomedicine are showcased. Finally, the challenges and prospects in this rising research area are discussed. This chapter not only reveals the advancement of pillararene-based micellar, vesicular and tubular assemblies, but also foresees future research directions of the area.