Encapsulation of Vitamin B₁ and its phosphate derivatives by cucurbit[7]uril: Tunability of the binding site and affinity by the presence of phosphate groups

Vitamin B₁ (1) and its phosphate derivatives, thiamine monophosphate (2) and thiamine pyrophosphate (3), are shown to form stable 1:1 host-guest complexes with cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) in aqueous solution. The binding sites of CB[7] on these guests shift from the ethylthiazolium region of 1 to the pyrimidine moiety of 2 and 3 due to the presence of phosphate groups, leading to variations of binding affinities as well as C(2)-H/D exchange rate constants and C(2)-H pK_a values with these guest molecules.