Triazole: a new motif for anion recognition

Anion receptors have attracted growing interest because of their role in chemistry, the environment, biology and medicine. The mis-regulation of anion flux causes a variety of lethal human diseases. Recently, triazole has been found to be an excellent motif for molecular recognition. This review depicts an overall picture of developments in the design and synthesis of anion receptors along with an up-to-date emphasis on the triazole unit as a motif for anion recognition. The acidic CH of triazole is involved in binding with the anions, which makes these receptors different from other classes of receptors. The chemo- and regio-selectivity of the click reaction provides further impetus for future developments in this area.