A cationic water-soluble pillar[6]arene: synthesis, host–guest properties, and self-assembly with amphiphilic guests in water

The facile and efficient preparation of a cationic water-soluble pillar[6]arene was achieved, which shows a high affinity for sodium 2-naphthalenesulfonate and could encapsulate an amphiphilic guest containing the 2-naphthalenesulfonate unit as the hydrophilic part to change the aggregation of the amphiphilic guests in water, giving regular and uniform micelles.