Size‐control by anion templating in mechanochemical synthesis of hemicucurbiturils in the solid state

Self‐organization is one of the most intriguing phenomena of chemical matter. While the self‐assembly of macrocycles and cages in dilute solutions has been extensively studied, it remains poorly understood in solvent‐free environments. We provide the first example of using anionic templates to achieve selective assembly of differently‐sized macrocycles in a solvent‐free system. Using acid‐catalyzed synthesis of cyclohexanohemicucurbiturils as a model, we demonstrate size‐controlled, quantitative synthesis of 6‐ or 8‐membered macrocycles via spontaneous anion‐directed re‐organization of mechanochemically‐made oligomers in the solid state.

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