Cucurbit[n]uril Derivatives Soluble in Water and Organic Solvents.

Reminiscent of the ringed planet Saturn, new cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) derivatives CB*[5] and CB*[6] have rings decorating the "equator". The rings in this case are five- and six-fused cyclohexane rings, respectively (the structure of CB*[6] is shown). The remarkable solubility of the new CB[n] derivatives in water and organic solvents allows not only their unusual binding properties toward metal and organic ions in neutral water but also their applications in ion-selective electrodes to be studied.