ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes current research dealing with the combination of noble-metal nanoparticles and different families of supramolecular macrocycles (cyclodextrins, cucurbit[n]urils, calixarenes, and pillar[n]arenes). It discusses strategies in which supramolecular chemistry is applied to direct the self-assembly of nanoparticles and formation of polymer composites and describes the main applications of these materials in various fields. Macrocyclic molecules are important building blocks within supramolecular chemistry, particularly acting as efficient host molecules in host-guest chemistry for molecular recognition. The nature of these interactions is noncovalent and it can be primarily classified into four types: hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, van der Waals forces, and hydrophobic interactions. The combination of metal nanoparticles and supramolecular macrocycles should lead to strong synergistic effects, such as an improvement in the performance of nanoparticles in which host–guest chemistry could play an important role.
