Sulfonatocalixarenes: molecular capsule and 'Russian doll' arrays to structures mimicking viral geometry

p-Sulfonatocalix[4,5,6,8] arenes are versatile building blocks, able to assemble into 'molecular capsule' arrays based on two calixarenes, as well as a variety of other structural motifs, with the extended structures dominated by the formation of bilayers. For p-sulfonatocalix[ 4] arene, assembly into nanometre scale spheroids ( of either icosahedral or cuboctahedral geometries) as well as nanotubules ( all of which take on structural features akin to those of viruses) is possible, depending on the guest molecules and lanthanides present in solution.