Abstract: β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) has the cavity in which the exterior is relatively hydrophilic and the interior is relatively lipophilic and multi-hydroxyl groups on it. So β-CD can be modified by different substituent groups and form supramolecular systems with guests, and are applied to many fields. Recognition mechanism of β-CD derivatives supramolecular systems is reviewed herein. Effects of structures of host and guest, solvent, buffer pH and linkage styles of stationary phase and study methods of ultraviolet-visible, fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectrum, nuclear magnetic resonance, thermodynamics, X-ray and molecular dynamics simulation on mechanism are expounded. The applications in chiral separation are also introduced. This might lay a foundation for studying the general law of recognition mechanism.

Key words: chiral separation , recognition mechanism, supramolecular system, β-cyclodextrin derivatives