Synthesis, Guest Binding, and Metal Coordination of Functionalized Self-Folding Deep Cavitands

A simple method to introduce donor functions to the upper rim of self-folding benzimidazole-based deep cavitands is described. The upper rim donors allow controlled noncovalent binding of suitably sized guest species via both self-complementary hydrogen bonding and space-filling interactions, and metal-mediated self-folding is possible if bidentate coordinators are incorporated