Gas-phase H/D-exchange reactions on resorcinarene and pyrogallarene capsules: Proton transport through a one-dimensional Grotthuss mechanism

Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) experiments can be used to examine the gas-phase structure of hydrogen-bonded dimeric resorcinarene and pyrogallarene capsules. Already the qualitative comparison of the isotope exchange rates of different host–guest complexes with Cs+, tetramethyl ammonium (TMA+) and tetraethyl ammonium (TEA+) as the guest cations provides insight into the H/D-exchange mechanisms and with it, into the capsules' gas-phase ion structures. The smaller Cs+cations bind inside dimeric capsules with an intact seam of hydrogen bonds between the two monomers. Larger cations such as TEA+ lead to capsules with partially disrupted seams of hydrogen bonds. A fast isotope exchange is on…