Covalent Organic Helical Cages as Sandwich Compound Containers

Development of robust chiroptical systems through spirobifluorenes

Chiroptical responses are valuable for the structural determination of dissymmetric molecules. However, the development of everyday applications based on chiroptical systems is yet to come. We have been earlier using axially chiral allenes for the construction of linear, cyclic, and cage-shaped molecules that present remarkable chiroptical responses. Additionally, we have developed chiral surfaces through upstanding chiral architectures. Since the goal is to obtain robust chiroptical materials, more recently we have been studying spirobifluorenes (SBFs), a well-established building block in optoelectronic applications. After theoretical and experimental demonstration, the suitability of chiral SBFs for the development of robust chiroptical systems was certified by the construction all-carbon double helices, flexible shape-persistent macrocycles, chiral frameworks for surface functionalization, and structures featuring helical or spiroconjugated molecular orbitals. Here, we give an overview of our contribution to these matters.

Purely Covalent Molecular Cages and Containers for Guest Encapsulation

Cage compounds offer unique binding pockets similar to enzyme-binding sites, which can be customized in terms of size, shape, and functional groups to point toward the cavity and many other parameters. Different synthetic strategies have been developed to create a toolkit of methods that allow preparing tailor-made organic cages for a number of distinct applications, such as gas separation, molecular recognition, molecular encapsulation, hosts for catalysis, etc. These examples show the versatility and high selectivity that can be achieved using cages, which is impossible by employing other molecular systems. This review explores the progress made in the field of fully organic molecular cages and containers by focusing on the properties of the cavity and their application to encapsulate guests.

A Chiral Molecular Cage Comprising Diethynylallenes and N-Heterotriangulenes for Enantioselective Recognition

Chirality, a characteristic tool of molecular recognition in nature, is often a complement of redox active systems. Scientists, in their eagerness to mimic such sophistication, have designed numerous chiral systems based on molecular entities with cavities, such as macrocycles and cages. In an attempt to combine chirality and redox-active species, in this contribution we report the synthesis and detailed characterization of a chiral shape-persistent molecular cage based on the combination of enantiopure diethynylallenes and electron-rich bridged triarylamines, also known as N-heterotriangulenes. Its ability for chiral recognition in solution was revealed through UV/vis titrations with enantiopure helicenes.

Truxene-based covalent organic polyhedrons constructed through alkyne metathesis

Dynamic alkyne metathesis has successfully been employed toward the synthesis of a truxene-based shape-persistent covalent organic polyhedron (COP) with high binding affinity for fullerenes.

Chiroptical Sensing: A Conceptual Introduction

Chiroptical responses have been an essential tool over the last decades for chemical structural elucidation due to their exceptional sensitivity to geometry and intermolecular interactions. In recent times, there has been an increasing interest in the search for more efficient sensing by the rational design of tailored chiroptical systems. In this review article, advances made in chiroptical systems towards their implementation in sensing applications are summarized. Strategies to generate chiroptical responses are illustrated. Theoretical approaches to assist in the design of these systems are discussed. The development of efficient chiroptical reporters in different states of matter, essential for the implementation in sensing devises, is reviewed. In the last part, remarkable examples of chiroptical sensing applications are highlighted.

Chiroptical Symmetry Analysis: Exciton Chirality-Based Formulae to Understand the Chiroptical Responses of Cn and Dn Symmetric Systems

The high sensitivity of chiroptical responses to conformational changes and supramolecular interactions has prompted an increasing interest in the development of chiroptical applications. However, prediction of and understanding the chiroptical responses of the necessary large systems may not be affordable for calculations at high levels of theory. In order to facilitate the development of chiroptical applications, methodologies capable of evaluating the chiroptical responses of large systems are necessary. The exciton chirality method has been extensively used for the interaction between two independent chromophores through the Davydov model. For systems presenting C₂ or D₂ symmetry, one can get the same results by applying the selection rules. In the present article, the analysis of the selection rules for systems with symmetries C_n and D_n with n = 3 and 4 is used to uncover the origin of their chiroptical responses. We foresee that the use of the Chiroptical Symmetry Analysis (CSA) for systems presenting the symmetries explored herein, as well as for systems presenting higher symmetries will serve as a useful tool for the development of chiroptical applications.

Device-Compatible Chiroptical Surfaces through Self-Assembly of Enantiopure Allenes

Chiroptical methods have been proven to be superior compared to their achiral counterparts for the structural elucidation of many compounds. To expand the use of chiroptical systems to everyday applications, the development of functional materials exhibiting intense chiroptical responses is essential. Particularly, tailored and robust interfaces compatible with standard device operation conditions are required. Herein, we present the design and synthesis of chiral allenes and their use for the functionalization of gold surfaces. The self-assembly results in a monolayer-thin room-temperature-stable upstanding chiral architecture as ascertained by ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure. Moreover, these nanostructures anchored to device-compatible substrates feature intense chiroptical second harmonic generation. Both straightforward preparation of the device-compatible interfaces along with their chiroptical nature provide major prospects for everyday applications.

Hexaphenolic Rigid Cages Prepared by Self-Organization of C3 v Tridentates

Coordination cages were composed by self-organization of rigid C_{3 v}-symmetric heptaarene tridentates and Pd(II) precursors. The heptaarene framework involves one mesitylene, three phenol, and three pyridine moieties, which were connected by Suzuki coupling reactions. The treatment of the tridentates with Pd(dppp)(OTf)₂ or Pd(en)(NO₃)₂ in a 2:3 molar ratio furnished coordination cages, which was ascertained by crystallography, ¹H NMR and DOSY measurements, and ESI-TOFMS and UV-vis spectra. The cages have six phenolic hydroxy groups inside and were expected to incorporate hydrogen-bonding guest molecules such as saccharides. CD and DOSY measurements showed that octyl hexoside guests could be incorporated into the cage.