Water-soluble calixarenes—self-aggregation and complexation of noncharged aromatic guests in buffered aqueous solution

Water-soluble calix[4]arenes are useful receptors for hydrophobic substrates in aqueous buffered solution. The inclusion of 22 aromatic guests as well as the self-aggregation behavior of amphiphilic hosts was studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The association constants obtained range from 10 to 1000 L mol−1. In all cases, the aromatic moiety is included into the hydrophobic pocket of the calixarenes maximizing hydrophobic contacts. Additionally, substituents such as methyl or chlorine exhibit a preference for inclusion in the pocket of the macrocycles owing to CH/π or Cl/π interactions. In case self-aggregation is observed, millimolar CMC values are to be found.