Applications of halogen bonding in solution

Halogen bonding is the noncovalent interaction where the halogen atom acts as an electrophile towards Lewis bases. Known for more than 200 years, only recently it has attracted interest in the context of solution-phase applications, especially during the last decade which was marked by the introduction of multitopic systems. In addition, the small yet rich collection of halogen-bond donor moieties that appeared in this period is shown to be versatile enough as to be applied in virtually any solvent system. This review covers the applications of halogen bonding in solution during the past ten years in a semi-comprehensive way. Emphasis is made on molecular recognition, catalytic applications and anion binding and transport. Medicinal applications are addressed as well with key examples. Focussing on the major differences observed for halogen bonding, as compared to the ubiquitous hydrogen bonding, it aims to contribute to the design of future solution-phase applications.