Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Halogen bonding (XB) is a recognition motif of increasing importance but it remains underused in solution. Embedding a single XB motif within a molecular capsule improves both its stability and interaction strength by finely tuning inward position and orientation. In this context, a new Covalent Organic Cage (COC) was prepared sequestering a polarized P-Cl bond. This hemicryptophane carrying a haloazaphosphatrane moiety was found to bind dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a Sarin surrogate, by halogen bonding with atomic precision. Indeed, the same cage having the chlorine atom substituted by a hydrogen atom showed no detectable recognition. Such level of discrimination definitely establishes halogen bonding COC as a new generation of efficient receptors for molecular recognition.
DOI: 10.1002/anie.5640364
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université, Centrale Méditerranée, Institut des Sciences Moléculaires de Marseille, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institut Parisien de Chimie Moléculaire, Laboratoire d'innovation moléculaire et applications, Université de Strasbourg, Lyon 1 Université, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Laboratoire de Chimie, Institut de Chimie Radicalaire
Language: English
Subfield: Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,510
Award: G1140304606
OpenAlex ID: W7214549537