Efficient separation of monobromotoluene isomers by nonporous adaptive perbromoethylated pillar[5]arene crystals.

Herein we report an efficient adsorptive separation approach for monobromotoluene isomers using nonporous adaptive crystals of perbromoethylated pillar[5]arene (BrP5). The purity of separated m -bromotoluene from an equal volume mixture of m -bromotoluene and o -bromotoluene reaches 96.6% in one cycle and the adsorbent BrP5 can be reused without losing separation performance.