Cavitands: capture of cycloalkyl derivatives and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) in water

Cycloalkyl derivatives such as halides and alcohols are commonly encountered in chemical synthesis and in the environment, yet chemical methods for their sensing are limited. Here we develop a sensor–a deep cavitand–on a preparative scale. It makes host-guest complexes with cycloalkyl halides and other derivatives with compact conformations in aqueous medium. Detection of 2-methylisoborneol, a common drinking water pollutant, is possible at low concentrations by NMR methods. The gram-scale synthesis of the cavitand opens new possibilities for its future application in water purification.