Photoinduced guest transformation promotes translocation of guest from hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin to cucurbit[7]uril

Abstract

We report that three-component systems comprising styryl dyes (1 or 2) and two hosts (hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7])) undergo photoinduced transformation and translocation of the styryl guest from the cavity of HP-β-CD to CB[7]. We find that the protonation of guest trans-1 or the addition of Ba²⁺ as competitor for CB[7] triggers dissociation of the container–guest complexes.