Supramolecular surfactants derived from calixarenes

Supramolecular surfactants self-aggregate via noncovalent interactions. The process is rapid and reversible which makes them potentially useful for the design of stimuli-responsive systems. Here we focus on host:guest interactions using calixarenes as molecular receptors. Calixarenes are an important family of molecular receptors because of their ease of preparation and post-modification. The calixarenes discussed here cannot self-aggregate, but when combined with an appropriate guest molecule readily self-associate. Different types of aggregates are obtained, e.g., micelles or vesicles, depending upon the structures of the calixarene and guest.