Novel cyclic host molecules were synthesized by the insertion of three types of aromatic spacers into the skeleton of permethylated α-cyclodextrin. These host molecules formed a 1: 1 complex with sodium 3-and 4-nitrobenzenesulfonates (3-and 4-NBS), and sodium 2, 4- dinitrobenzenesulfonate (DNBS) in D2O/CD3OD (4: 1) solution. The type of spacer inserted remarkably affected the inclusion ability of the hosts toward DNBS. The p-xylylene- ...