Fluorescent Guest Molecules Report Ordered Inner Phase of Host Capsules in Solution

Despite recent strides in the synthesis of elaborate nanometer-scale molecular hosts, the internal structure of these self-assembled cages remains ill characterized. We used fluorescent probe molecules, pyrene butyric acid (PBA), as guests in C-hexylpyrogallol[4]arene capsules to relay information about the chemical environment on the interior of the assemblies. Spectroscopic and single-crystal x-ray diffraction studies show that, in both solution and the solid state, the host can encapsulate two PBA guests and keep them well separated through specific interactions with the capsule walls.