Enclathration of Aromatic Molecules by the O−H···N Supramolecular Adducts of Racemic-bis-<i>β</i>-naphthol and 4,4‘-Bipyridine

Racemic-bis-β-naphthol (rac-BN) reacts with 4,4‘-bipyridine (BIPY) to form two types of supramolecular adducts via O−H···N hydrogen bonds. One of those adducts consists of a cyclic aggregate formed by two molecules of rac-BN and two molecules of BIPY, while the other consists of a 1D-chain in which BIPY and rac-BN arrange alternately through O−H···N hydrogen bonds. Interestingly, both these adducts have shown a remarkable ability to form continuous channels that enclathrate aromatic guest molecules such as benzene, toluene, p-xylene, biphenyl, naphthalene, and anthracene.