Cucurbit[8]uril-regulated face-to-face dimerization assembly enhanced photosensitization and photocatalysis

In water, N,N′-diarylpyridinium thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole guests(G1–G3) were encapsulated by cucurbit[8]uril(Q[8]) to construct Q[8]_(3)/G_(2) complexes, in which the encapsulated G molecules exist as an exact face-to-face dimer. These complexation behaviors have been indicated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance(~1H NMR) spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry(ITC),and have been confirmed by X-ray single crystal structural analysis of Q[8]_(3)/G2_(2). While free guests G1–G3 have no ability to sensitize singlet oxygen, they all become effective singlet oxygen sensitizers when complexed with Q[8]. By irradiation of white light, Q[8]_(3)/G_(2) complexes induced selective oxidation of aryl sulfide to aryl sulfoxide in good yields and selective oxidation of dimethyl sulfide(DMS) to dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO) in excellent yields without over-oxidation to dimethyl sulfone(DMSO_(2))even for elongated irradiation. High-yield photo-oxidation of DMS to DMSO_(2) was only achieved by irradiation of blue light in the presence of Q[8]_(3)/G1_(2), which was also effective in photobleaching of Rhodamine B in water. The higher photo-oxidation power of Q[8]_(3)/G1_(2) has been ascribed to an additional generation of reactive oxygen species besides singlet oxygen.