Rapid screening of a receptor with molecular memory.

[reaction: see text] Atropisomeric receptor 1 can change conformation and maintain the new conformation when heated and cooled in the presence of a guest molecule. This molecular memory can be used as a rapid method of screening potential guests. Heating atropisomeric diacid 1 with various hydrogen-bonding guests leads to a shift in the syn/anti ratio that could be easily monitored as it is stable at room temperature even in the absence of the guest molecules.