Alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic pockets in the channel structures of organostannoxane prismanes: preferential confinement of guest molecules.

A hydroxyl-rich hexameric organooxotin prismane has been prepared by reaction of n-BuSn(O)OH with 9-hydroxy-9-fluorenecarboxylic acid. The supramolecular structure of this cage shows channels with hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments, which selectively entrap guest molecules.