Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Binding between Zwitterionic Viologen Guests and the Cucurbit[7]uril Host

The host–guest binding interactions between a series of zwitterionic, symmetric viologens, and the cucurbit[7]­uril host were investigated using NMR and UV–vis spectroscopic techniques. The nature of the viologen side arms had strong effects on the kinetics of association and dissociation and weaker, more uniform influence on the thermodynamic stability of the final 1:1 inclusion complexes, which can also be characterized as pseudorotaxanes.