Inclusion Compounds of Bulky Binaphthyl-type Bis-fluorenol Hosts

Inclusion properties of a new family of clathrate hosts ( 1 – 4 ) containing two 9-hydroxy-9-fluorenyl units or chloro-, bromo- and t -butyl-substituted derivatives of this group attached in the 3,3'-position to a basic 2,2'-binaphthyl construction element are reported (115 examples of clathrates). The crystal structures of six selected clathrates, involving dimethylsulfoxide, cyclopentanol, diethylether, benzylamine, chloroform and acetone as the guest, have been determined by X-ray diffraction, showing varied modes of supramolecular interaction dependent on the host and guest constitutions, while the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxy groups of the fluorenol units is a common structural feature (except in 3a ) controlling twisted conformation of the host molecules.