Modified Cyclodextrins with Pendant Cationic and Anionic Moieties as Hosts for Highly Stable Inclusion Complexes and Molecular Recognition

Cyclodextrins bearing pendant cationic or anionic moieties have been shown to form highly stable inclusion complexes with oppositely charged organic molecules. These charged hosts are also capable of molecular recognition of various organic cations and anions such as nucleotides and other phosphates, sulfates, sulfonates, carboxylates, enantiomers of amino acids, bile acids and many others. This review summarizes work in this field published till the year 2009 including most common synthetic methods for the preparation of charged cyclodextrin derivatives and examples of their applications in bioorganic chemistry and pharmacy.