Binding abilities of new cyclodextrin–cucurbituril supramolecular hosts

Various combined techniques (UV–vis spectrophotometry, isothermal titration calorimetry, thermogravimetry, ESI-MS mass spectrometry, polarimetry and 1H NMR spectroscopy) were used in order to study the interaction between a new combined supramolecular host, namely a bow-tie-structured cyclodextrin–cucurbituril association solely held by noncovalent interactions, and a suitably selected guest, namely the N-( p-nitrophenyl)-1,8-diaminooctane hydrochloride. In particular, the use of different techniques highlighted the peculiar features of the possible host–guest supramolecular interactions under different concentration conditions.