Toward the Isolation of Functional Organic Nanotubes

The last straw: Sonication of C-hexylpyrogallol[4]arene with pyrene, acetonitrile, and water results in the formation of crystalline organic nanotubes. Alternating pockets of acetonitrile and water are contained within the large internal diameter of the tube formed by the calixarenes (see picture; the tube and solvent molecules are shown as stick and space-filling representations, respectively).