Selectivity of butanol isomers by enclathration

The structures of the inclusion compounds formed by the host 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane with 1-butanol, iso-butanol and 2-butanol have been elucidated. Competition experiments between pairs of butanol guests and simultaneously by all three butanols show that the selectivity is in the order: 2-butanol > iso-butanol > 1-butanol. This correlates with their thermal stabilities measured by DSC.