Hu Jianhang, Wu Wanhua, Yang Cheng
Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry & Technology of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, 29 Wangjiang Road, Chengdu 610064, China.
Molecules. 2025 Sep 7;30(17):3646. doi: 10.3390/molecules30173646.
Macrocyclic arenes are rich-electron macrocycles bridged by methylene or methyl groups from aromatic rings substituted by hydroxyl or alkoxy groups. It has attracted great interest in host-guest chemistry and supramolecular self-assembly due to its clear cavity, adjustable structure and multifunctional binding ability. In particular, nitrogen-containing macrocyclic arenes including (hetero) aromatic moieties-constructed from building blocks such as pyrrole, carbazole, phenothiazine, and imidazole-have undergone rapid development, yielding a new generation of functional macrocycles, including calix[4]carbazoles, Tröger's base-derived macrocycles, and phenothiazine-based architectures. These nitrogen-functionalized macrocycles feature rich chemical derivatization potential, unique structural and host-guest characteristics, and exceptional photophysical properties. They show great promise in molecular recognition, selective adsorption and separation, and the development of advanced functional materials. This review summarizes recent advances in the design, synthesis, and application of nitrogen-containing macrocyclic arenes, with a particular focus on structure-property relationships and emerging functions.
大环芳烃是由被羟基或烷氧基取代的芳环通过亚甲基或甲基桥连而成的富电子大环。由于其具有明确的空腔、可调节的结构和多功能的结合能力，它在主客体化学和超分子自组装方面引起了极大的兴趣。特别是，含氮大环芳烃，包括由吡咯、咔唑、吩噻嗪和咪唑等结构单元构建的（杂）芳族部分，发展迅速，产生了新一代功能性大环，包括杯[4]咔唑、特罗格碱衍生的大环和吩噻嗪基结构。这些氮功能化大环具有丰富的化学衍生潜力、独特的结构和主客体特性以及优异的光物理性质。它们在分子识别、选择性吸附和分离以及先进功能材料的开发方面显示出巨大的潜力。本综述总结了含氮大环芳烃在设计、合成和应用方面的最新进展，特别关注结构-性能关系和新兴功能。
