Aryl-triazole foldamers with ethynyl spacers as effective receptors for halides and oxyanions

Stimuli-responsive synthetic helical polymers

Synthetic dynamic helical polymers (supramolecular and covalent) and foldamers share the helix as a structural motif. Although the materials are different, these systems also share many structural properties, such as helix induction or conformational communication mechanisms. The introduction of stimuli responsive building blocks or monomer repeating units in these materials triggers conformational or structural changes, due to the presence/absence of the external stimulus, which are transmitted to the helix resulting in different effects, such as assymetry amplification, helix inversion or even changes in the helical scaffold (elongation, J/H helical aggregates). In this review, we show through selected examples how different stimuli (e.g., temperature, solvents, cations, anions, redox, chiral additives, pH or light) can alter the helical structures of dynamic helical polymers (covalent and supramolecular) and foldamers acting on the conformational composition or molecular structure of their components, which is also transmitted to the macromolecular helical structure.

Anion Templated Supramolecular Structures Assembled using 1,2,3-Triazole and Triazolium motifs

The use of 1,2,3-triazole and triazolium motifs to construct anion templated supramolecular structures has grown rapidly over the past decade and has enabled a range of complex structures to be synthesised. In this Minireview we highlight the significant advances that have been made in areas such as foldamers, polymers and interlocked systems.

Interaction of aryl tetrazolones with anions: proton transfer vs. hydrogen bonding

Tetrazolones 1a,b interact with HSO₄⁻, Br⁻, NO₃⁻, NCS⁻ and Cl⁻ through H-bonding, but undergo deprotonation with a more basic AcO⁻ anion.

Helical Anion Foldamers in Solution

Using anions to induce molecular structure is a rapidly growing area of dynamic and switchable supramolecular chemistry. The emphasis of this review is on helical anion foldamers in solution, and many of the beautiful complexes described herein are accentuated by their crystal structures. Anion foldamers are defined as single- or multistrand complexes-often helical-that incorporate one or more anions. The review begins by discussing foldamer structure and nomenclature and follows with discourse on the anions which are employed. Recent advances in functional foldamers that bind a single anion are examined, including: induced chirality, stimuli-responsive dynamics, fluorescence changes, organocatalysis, anion transport, and halogen bonding. The review then inspects multianion foldamers, and this section is organized by the number of strands within the foldamer-from single- to triple-strand foldamers. Finally, the review is punctuated by recent hydrogen- and halogen-bonding triple-strand anion foldamers.

An aryl-triazole foldamer containing a 1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent motif for monitoring and enhancing the anion-induced folding

A 1,8-naphthalimide fluorescent motif was found to facilitate folding and to largely enhance halogen anion binding for an aryl-triazole foldamer.