Nano-sized toroidal copper(II)-hydroxide/pyrazolate assemblies, lined by H-bond donors on the inside and hydrophobic on the outside,  selectively extract sulfate from mixtures with nitrate or perchlorate. Up to twelve hydrogen bonds from the neutral host assembly wrap around and sequester the sulfate guest, similarly as in its analog in living organisms, the sulfate binding protein. Tetrabutylammonium �lids� seal the �nano-jars� and render the encapsulated sulfate anion completely buried and inaccessible, so that it is not precipitated by Ba2+ ions. 

Total encapsulation of anions by neutral, hydrophobic nanojars

244th National Meeting (2012)

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