Cucurbit[7]uril as a "protective agent": controlling photochemistry and detecting 1-adamantanamine.

Cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) as a "protective agent" can effectively inhibit the [4+4] photochemical reaction of 1,1'-(butane-1,4-diyl)bis(2-aminopyridine)bromide (DPAD) by host-guest interaction between CB[7] and DPAD. In addition, the host-guest complex DPAD-CB[7] as a supramolecular sensor can detect the concentration of 1-adamantanamine with good sensitivity and selectivity because of the guest competitive complexation.