REVERSIBLE AND CONTROLLABLE CLOSING AND OPENING OF THE GUEST-BINDING CAVITY OF CYCLODEXTRIN DERIVATIVES AND RELATED HOST MOLECULES

摘要

A method for trapping a guest in and releasing the guest from the interior of a cyclic compound, which includes the steps of first contacting the cyclic compound and the guest so as to allow the guest to enter the interior of the cyclic compound, then activating the cyclic compound to bring about the entrapment of the guest in the interior of the cyclic compound. Subsequently, the cyclic compound is further activated to release the guest from the interior of the cyclic compounds. The cyclic compound includes a cyclic structure and one or more substituents which are chemically bonded to the cyclic structure and which, upon activation, react with the cyclic structure or with another substituent to form a bridge which at least partially blocks access to the interior of the cyclic compound. Upon further activation, the bridge opens to unblock access to the interior of the cyclic compound, thereby releasing the guest.