Chiral Phosphinoferrocenyl-Calixarenes

Optically Pure Calixarenyl Phosphine via Stereospecific Alkylation on Evans' Oxazolidinone Moiety

A convenient protocol for the synthesis of 25,26,27-tribenzoyl-28-[((S)-1-diphenylphos- phanyl-propan-2-yl)oxy]-calix[4]arene via stereospecific methylation on Evans' oxazolidinone moiety was reported. According to the 13C NMR analysis of this phosphine, the calix[4]arene skeleton adopted a 1,3-alternate conformation. The latter conformation of the macrocycle and the (S)-chirality of the carbon atom bearing the methyl substituent were confirmed by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. After coordination of the phosphinated ligand to the dimeric [RuCl2(p-cymene)]2 organometallic precursor, the resulting arene-ruthenium complex was tested in the asymmetric reduction of acetophenone and alcohol was obtained with modest enantiomeric excess.

How Do Positions of Phosphito Units on a Calix[4]Arene Platform Affect the Enantioselectivity of a Catalytic Reaction?

Three chiral diphosphites, (S,S)-5,17-bis(1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dioxyphosphanyloxy)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropyloxycalix[4]arene (1), (S,S)-5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,27-dipropoxy-26,28-bis(1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dioxyphosphanyloxy)calix[4]arene (2) and (S,S)-5,11,17,23-tetra-tert-butyl-25,26-dipropoxy-27,28-bis(1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-dioxyphosphanyloxy)calix[4]arene (3), based on conical calix[4]arene were investigated in the rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of α-dehydroamino esters. High conversions were observed after 24 h under 5 bar of hydrogen whatever the employed diphosphite, and the chiral induction increases in the order 1 < 3 < 2. This may be due to the presence of the calix[4]arene moiety, which by its presence modifies the second coordination sphere of the catalytic center. The larger steric hindrance around the rhodium atom leads to the higher enantiomeric excess.

Diametric calix[6]arene-based phosphine gold(I) cavitands

We report the synthesis and characterization, in low polarity solvents, of a novel class of diametric phosphine gold(I) cavitands characterized by a 1,2,3-alternate geometry. Preliminary catalytic studies were performed on a model cycloisomerization of 1,6-enynes as a function of the relative orientation of the bonded gold(I) nuclei with respect to the macrocyclic cavity.

Merging Molecular Recognition and Gold(I) Catalysis with Triphoscalix[6]arene Ligands

We report the synthesis and characterization of novel triphosphine calix[6]arene ligands. These supramolecular wheels, with recognition features governed by the hydrogen-bonding domain, were employed to synthesize multitasking trinuclear gold(I) complexes as a new platform for the synthesis of interwoven (pseudo)rotaxane species. In parallel, the multivalent, metal-bonded upper rim displayed catalytic features promoting highly selective gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization reactions of 1,6-enynes.

Trisulfonamide calix[6]arene-catalysed Michael addition to nitroalkenes

We describe the application of a novel family of trisulfonamide (TSA) calix[6]arenes in general acid catalysis. Hydrogen-bonding interactions between acidic TSA and methanol boosted the reactivity of the Michael addition of indoles to nitroalkene derivatives. The transformation occurs at a low catalyst loading of 5 mol%, allowing for the synthesis of nitroalkanes with good yields and functional group tolerance.

Assembly behaviors of calixarene-based amphiphile and supra-amphiphile and the applications in drug delivery and protein recognition

Calixarene is the third generation of supra-molecular compounds after crown ether and cyclodextrin. Amphiphilic calixarene can be obtained by modulation with both hydrophilic group and hydrophobic alkyl chain. Compared with conventional surfactant, amphiphilic calixarene has much lower critical micelle concentration and is much easier to self-assemble into different morphological aggregates. Calixarene-basedsupra-amphiphile can be designed via noncovalent bonds due to the capability of calixarene to recognize surfactant; the binding of a surfactant with calixarene can decrease the critical micelle concentration of surfactant by several times. The calixarene-surfactant complex can self-aggregate to form spherical micelles, vesicles, and spherical nanoparticles, and the aggregation behavior can be controlled by the structures and the molar ratio of surfactant to calixarene and environmental factors. Calixarene-based amphiphile and supra-amphiphile show low cytotoxicity. They can load drugs and assemble into nanocapsules with drugs. The structure of the calixarene-drug complex can respond to external stimuli, rendering the sustained release of the drug and suggesting its potential application as a drug delivery system. Recently, calixarene has also been found to selectively bind proteins, suggesting its prospect in disease diagnosis and intervention treatment in clinics. This review elaborates on the research progress in the self-assembly behaviors of calixarene-based amphiphile and supra-amphiphile and the applications of the calixarenes in drug delivery and protein recognition. The prospectives for the studies are also provided in this review.

Rhodium nanoparticles stabilized by ferrocenyl-phosphine ligands: synthesis and catalytic styrene hydrogenation

A series of ferrocenylphosphine-stabilized rhodium nanoparticles has been prepared in one pot from the organometallic [Rh(η3-C3H5)3] precursor. This complex has been decomposed by hydrogen treatment (3 bar) in dichloromethane in the presence of five different ferrocene-based phosphine ligands. Very small rhodium nanoparticles in the size range of 1.1-1.7 nm have been obtained. These nanoparticles have shown activity in a model catalytic reaction, namely the hydrogenation of styrene. These results evidence that the metal surface is not blocked despite the steric bulk of the stabilizing ligands. Moreover, certain selectivity has been observed depending on the ligand employed. To the best of our knowledge, such a type of compound has not yet been used for stabilizing metal nanoparticles and our findings highlight the interest to do so.

Recent applications of chiral calixarenes in asymmetric catalysis

The use of calixarenes in asymmetric catalysis is receiving increasing attention due to their tunable three-dimensional molecular platforms along with their easy syntheses and versatile modification at the upper and lower rims. This review summarizes the recent progress of synthesis and use of chiral calixarenes in asymmetric syntheses which emerged later than 2010.

Three-Dimensional Network Structures Based on Pyridyl-Calix[4]Arene Metal Complexes

A new series of supramolecular assemblies is obtained through the interaction of 3-pyridylmethyl-calixarenes and copper or zinc ions. The complexes formed are characterized both in solution and in the solid state. The results offer appealing insights into how the steric crowding of the lower rim and different coordination modes of the metal centers have a great impact on the overall architecture of the complexes with the formation of monomeric, dimeric, or oligomeric/polymeric species.

New Ferrocenyl Phenol Thiophosphines

Two new enantiomerically pure ferrocenyl phenol-thiophosphine compounds have been efficiently synthesized by a one pot procedure from enantiomerically pure alcohol (R)-(diphenylthiophosphinoferrocenyl)methanol 1 by a fully regioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction on phenols after strong acid activation. A mechanistic proposal through O-alkylation followed by rearrangement of the formed oxonium is proposed. All compounds have been and fully characterized by NMR(1H, 31P and 13C) and High Resolution Mass Spectroscopy. The molecular structure of one of these ferrocene derivatives have been determined by X ray diffraction analysis on monocrystal.