Fluorescent probes based on macrocyclic hosts: Construction, mechanism and analytical applications

Supramolecular host-guest chemistry has offered a great deal of opportunities for design and construction of novel fluorescence systems for various applications, especially in analytical field. Due to the special structure and fascinating functions, macrocyclic hosts, mainly including crown ethers, cyclodextrins (CDs), calix[n]arenes (CAs), cucurbit[n]urils (CBs) and pillar[n]arenes (PAs), combined with a variety of fluorophores have been applied as fluorescent probes for the specific and selective sensing in drugs, ions, biomolecules and other organic compounds. This review focuses attention on the recent advances made in the development of fluorescent probes based on macrocyclic hosts, which can provide a general overview of the construction, systematic classification, detection mechanisms, analytical applications and outlook of macrocyclic fluorescence probes. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.