Artificial light-harvesting systems fabricated by supramolecular host–guest interactions

Abstract

Artificial light-harvesting systems (LHSs) have drawn increasing research interest in recent times due to the energy crisis worldwide. Concurrently, macrocycle-based host-guest interactions have played an important role in the development of supramolecular chemistry. In recent years, studies towards artificial LHSs driven by macrocycle-based host-guest interactions are gradually being disclosed. In this mini-review, we briefly introduce the burgeoning progress of artificial LHSs driven by host-guest interactions. We believe that an increasing number of reports of artificial LHSs driven by host-guest interactions will appear in the near future and will provide a viable alternative for the future production of renewable energy.

Channel Confinement of Aromatic Petrochemicals via Aryl–Perfluoroaryl Interactions With a B←N Host

“…Host–guest chemistry is widely considered a landmark of supramolecular chemistry and focuses on uses of non-covalent interactions to hold together multicomponent molecular aggregates (Steed and Atwood, 2013; Xiao et al, 2019a,b). In the context of crystal engineering, hosts that provide the ability to confine guests into channel-type architectures have received increased attention due to intriguing properties (e.g., catalysis Yang et al, 2006, dynamics Wu et al, 2019, photoconduction Quintel and Hulliger, 1999, sorption Lim et al, 2008, and separation Chen et al, 2013; Barton et al, 2019).…”

Aqueous Platinum(II)‐Cage‐Based Light‐Harvesting System for Photocatalytic Cross‐Coupling Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

“…[2] So far, many artificial light-harvesting systems mimicking this process have been developed by using a Föster resonance energy-transfer (FRET) process, with the aim of developing clean and sustainable energy. [3-5] Among them, supramolecular systems [5] have received considerable attention not only because of their tunable and functionable molecular structures but also because the energy transfer between chlorophyll and protein in natural systems also relies on supramolecular self-assembly. For example, Yang et al developed a highly efficient light-harvesting system based on the self-assembly of organic nanocrystals.…”

Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers constructed from pillar[n]arene-based supra-amphiphiles

“…The combination of supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology has greatly promoted the development of nano-sized assemblies, which are usually employed as promising nanomaterials for controlled release, drug delivery, bio-imaging, and light harvesting. [1][2][3] Inspired by liposomes spontaneously formed from amphiphilic phospholipids in aqueous media in Nature, scientists are seeking to construct more functional nanoassemblies from various synthetic amphiphiles. 4 Conventionally, amphiphiles refer to molecules containing both hydrophobic and hydrophilic units that are linked by covalent chemical bonds.…”