Alignment and Dynamic Inversion of Planar Chirality in Pillar[n]arenes

Abstract

Pillar[n]arenes are symmetrical macrocyclic compounds composed of benzene panels with para‐methylene linkages. Each panel usually exhibits planar chirality and prefers chirality‐aligned states. Because of this feature, pillar[n]arenes are attractive scaffolds for chiroptical materials that are easy to prepare and optically resolve and show intense circular dichroism (CD) signals. In addition, rotation of the panels endows the chirality of pillar[n]arenes with a dynamic nature. The chirality in tubular oligomers and supramolecular assemblies sometimes show time‐ and procedure‐dependent alignment phenomena. Furthermore, the CD signals of some pillar[n]arenes respond to the addition of chiral guests when their dynamic chirality is coupled with host–guest properties. By using diastereomeric pillar[n]arenes with additional chiral structures, the response can also be caused by achiral guests and changes of the environment, providing molecular sensors.