Conformationally supple glucose monomers enable synthesis of the smallest cyclodextrins.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) are cyclic oligomers of α-1,4-d-glucopyranoside and are known mainly as hexamers to octamers. The central cavities of CDs can retain small molecules, enabling diverse applications. The smallest members, CD3 and CD4, have ring sizes too small to permit the most stable conformations of glucopyranose and have not been accessible synthetically.

A unified strategy for the synthesis of highly oxygenated diaryl ethers featured in ellagitannins.

Ellagitannins are a family of polyphenols containing more than 1,000 natural products. Nearly 40% of these compounds contain a highly oxygenated diaryl ether that is one of the most critical elements to their structural diversity. Here, we report a unified strategy for the synthesis of highly oxygenated diaryl ethers featured in ellagitannins.