Mono-allyloxylated Cucurbit[7]uril Acts as an Unconventional Amphiphile to Form Light-Responsive Vesicles

Abstract

Serendipitously, mono-allyloxylated cucurbit[7]uril (AO(1)CB[7]) was discovered to act as an unconventional amphiphile which self-assembles into light-responsive vesicles (AO(1)CB[7]VC) in water. Although the mono-allyloxy group, directly tethered on the periphery of CB[7], is much shorter (C4) than the hydrophobic tails of conventional amphiphiles, it played an important role in vesicle formation. Light-activated transformation of the allyloxy group by conjugation with glutathione was exploited as a remote tool to disrupt the vesicle. The vesicle showed on-demand release of cargo upon irradiation by a laser, after they were internalized into cancer cells. This result demonstrated the potential of AO(1)CB[7]VC as a new type of light-responsive intracellular delivery vehicle for the release of therapeutic cargo, within cells, on demand.