Synthesis of nanotubular molecules

A tubular compound formed by a process comprising:

• providing an end cap including a macrocycle that is sufficiently rigid that it presents a plurality of functional groups extending from a first axial side of the end cap;
• creating a tubular wall from a plurality of reactive compounds which is covalently attached to the end cap via reaction of the plurality of functional groups extending from the first axial side of the end cap, the tubular wall extending axially from the end cap;
• and
• performing at least one equatorial cyclization reaction axially distant from the end cap which includes covalent bonding of residues of a group of the plurality of reactive compounds used in forming the tubular wall.

A structure for use in a separation, comprising tubular residues of a tubular compound formed by a process comprising:

• providing an end cap including a macrocycle that is sufficiently rigid that it presents a plurality of functional groups extending from a first axial side of the end cap, the macrocycle further including a plurality of functional groups extending from a second axial side of the end cap, opposite the first axial side, wherein reaction of one or more of the plurality of functional groups extending from the second axial side of the end cap covalently bonds the tubular residues of the tubular compounds within the structure;
• creating a tubular wall from a plurality of reactive compounds which is covalently attached to the end cap via reaction of the plurality of functional groups extending from the first axial side of the end cap, the tubular wall extending axially from the end cap;
• performing at least one equatorial cyclization reaction axially distant from the end cap which includes covalent bonding of residues of a group of the plurality of reactive compounds used in forming the tubular wall;
• and
• reacting one or more of the plurality of functional group extending from the second axial side of the end cap to covalently bond the tubular residues of the tubular compounds within the structure.