Aromatic Hybrid Foldamer with a Hydrophilic Helical Cavity Capable of Encapsulating Glucose

An indolocarbazole–naphthyridine hybrid oligomer capable of adopting a stable helical conformation was prepared, and its folding properties were thoroughly studied in the solid state and in solution. As a result of folding, a hydrophilic cavity was generated inside the helix wherein monosaccharides were able to be encapsulated in the order of glucose (9.6 × 104 M–1) > galactose (1.0 × 104 M–1) ≫ mannose (∼0) in 10% (v/v) DMSO/CH2Cl2.