Cavitand

The original definition proposed by Cram includes many classes of molecules: cyclodextrins, calixarenes, pillararenes and cucurbiturils.

[3] However, modern usage in the field of supramolecular chemistry specifically refers to cavitands formed on a resorcinarene scaffold by bridging adjacent phenolic units.

[4] The simplest bridging unit is methylene (−CH2−), although dimethylene (−(CH2)2−), trimethylene (−(CH2)3−), benzal, xylyl, pyridyl, 2,3-disubstituted-quinoxaline, o-dinitrobenzyl, dialkylsilylene, and phosphonates are known.

Specific cavitands form the basis of rigid templates onto which de novo proteins can be chemically linked.

[7] Silicon surfaces functionalized with tetraphosphonate cavitands have been used to singularly detect sarcosine in water and urine solutions.