Crystalline γ-cyclodextrin metal organic framework nano-containers for encapsulation of benzaldehyde and their host–guest interactions

The nano-porous crystals of γ-cyclodextrin MOF (CDMOF) were synthesized and encapsulated with benzaldehyde. The host–guest interactions between CDMOF and benzaldehyde were analyzed using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and molecular docking calculations. We observed that around 13% benzaldehyde was adsorbed by the CDMOF crystals, which was supported by TGA, FTIR, DSC and XRD. The preferred inclusion geometry was identified, and the strength of these interactions was recorded. A polar carbonyl group was identified as a docking site which leads to stabilization and complex formation with glucopyranose unit of CDMOF. It was observed that the binding energy for the complex is—4.04 kcal mol⁻¹, which indicates that complex formation is thermodynamically favorable.