Host–guest chemistry

In supramolecular chemistry, host–guest chemistry describes complexes that are composed of two or more molecules or ions that are held together in unique structural relationships by forces other than those of full covalent bonds. Host–guest chemistry encompasses the idea of molecular recognition and interactions through non-covalent bonding. Non-covalent bonding is critical in maintaining the 3D structure of large molecules, such as proteins and is involved in many biological processes in which large molecules bind specifically but transiently to one another. Although non-covalent interactions could be roughly divided into those with more electrostatic or dispersive contributions, there are few commonly mentioned types of non-covalent interactions: ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, van der Waals forces and hydrophobic interactions. Host-guest interaction has raised dramatical attention since it was discovered. It is an important field, because many biological processes require the host-guest interaction, and it can be useful in some material designs. There are several typical host molecules, such as, cyclodextrin, crown ether, et al. In this article, the author will briefly introduce some examples of the host-guest molecules, discuss the thermodynamic and kinetic parameters, and discuss some applications. Although van der Waals postulated the intermolecular interaction in 1873, in 1894, Fischer built a philosophical root for supramolecular chemistry. He pointed out that enzyme-protein interactions behave in a "lock-and-key" manner. This interaction is the foundation to host-guest chemistry. With the deeper understanding of the non-covalent interactions, for example, the clear elucidation of DNA structure, chemists started to emphasize the importance of non-covalent interactions. In 1967, Charles J. Pedersen discovered crown ethers, which are ring-like structures capable of chelating certain metal ions. Then, in 1969, Jean-Marie Lehn discovered a class of molecules similar to crown ethers, called cryptands.