Metal ion-dependent molecular inclusion chemistry: inclusion of aromatic anions by coordinated 1,4,7,10-tetrakis((S)-2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane

A chiral spirobifluorene-based bis(salen) zinc(ii) receptor towards highly enantioselective binding of chiral carboxylates

We have designed a new chiral receptor based on two salen zinc(ii) complex units connected with a spirobifluorene framework. The chiral receptor is proven to enantioselectively bind chiral carboxylate guests and the differences between the binding constants of enantiomeric guests were up to more than one order of magnitude.

Coordinating Ability of Anions, Solvents, Amino Acids, and Gases towards Alkaline and Alkaline-Earth Elements, Transition Metals, and Lanthanides

After briefly reviewing the applications of the coordination ability indices proposed earlier for anions and solvents toward transition metals and lanthanides, a new analysis of crystal structures is applied now to a much larger number of coordinating species: anions (including those that are present in ionic solvents), solvents, amino acids, gases, and a sample of neutral ligands. The coordinating ability towards s-block elements is now also considered. The effect of several factors on the coordinating ability will be discussed: (a) the charge of an anion, (b) the chelating nature of anions and solvents, (c) the degree of protonation of oxo-anions, carboxylates and amino carboxylates, and (d) the substitution of hydrogen atoms by methyl groups in NH₃ , ethylenediamine, benzene, ethylene, pyridine and aldehydes. Hit parades of solvents and anions most commonly used in the areas of transition metal, s-block and lanthanide chemistry are deduced from the statistics of their presence in crystal structures.

Dynamic cyclen-metal complexes for molecular sensing and chirality signaling

Structural dynamism plays important roles in artificial and biological systems, because it controls structures and functions of various molecules and assemblies. In this review, molecular recognition and self-assembling behavior of dynamic armed cyclen-metal complexes are discussed at the molecular and supramolecular levels. These metal complexes provide useful platforms for molecular receptors, supramolecules, and molecular assemblies that can respond rapidly to guest molecules and environments. Since armed cyclens have many structural and geometrical variations, they form a wide variety of metal complexes having specific sensing and signaling functions. The Lewis acidity of the metal cations plays an essential role in anion binding and in hydrolytic catalysis of phosphate esters. Characteristic luminescence and magnetic properties of lanthanides also enable techniques for effective bio-imaging. They also serve as chiral building blocks for self-assembled architectures, which offer chirality integration effective for chirality sensing and signaling at the supramolecular level.

Synthesis and characterization of water-operative cationic and anionic metal-ion activated molecular receptors for aromatic anions

Two new, octadentate, water-soluble, macrocyclic ligands, 1,4,7,10-tetrakis((2S)-(-)-2-hydroxy-3-[3'-(N,N,N-trimethylammonium)-phenoxy]-propyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane tetratriflate, ((S)-tmappc12 triflate, L1 triflate) and 1,4,7,10-tetrakis((2S)-(-)-2-hydroxy-3-[2'-sulfo-4'-methylphenoxy]-propyl)-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, ((S)-sthmppc12, L2H4) have been prepared with a view to using them to study anion sequestration in aqueous solution. Their pKa and metal-ion binding constant values with a range of alkaline earth, transition, and post-transition metals are reported. The eight-coordinate, water-soluble Cd(II) complexes of (L1)4+ and (L2)4-, [CdL1](CF3SO3)6 and (NH4)2-[CdL2], the former cationic and the latter anionic, have both been shown to be capable of acting as anion receptors in aqueous solution. The binding constant values (log(K/M-1) given in parentheses) for binding by the cationic receptor to a range of aromatic anions in water are p-nitrophenolate (1.7), p-formylphenolate (2.1), p-nitrobenzoate (3.0), p-aminobenzoate (4.5), p-dimethylaminobenzoate (>4.5), D- and L-tryptophanate (1.6, 2.2), phenoxyacetate (2.1), and acetate (2.3). With the anionic receptor, nonzero binding constants were only measurable for p-nitrobenzoate (approximately 0.4), p-aminobenzoate (2.0), and p-dimethylaminobenzoate (1.8). By reference to the X-ray determined structures of related, but water-insoluble inclusion complexes, anion retention is thought to occur within a hydrophobic cavity, with four convergent hydroxy groups at its base, which develops in (L1)4+ and (L2)4- through the juxtapositioning of aromatic rings that occurs as a consequence of octadentate coordination.

Structure of the Molecular Receptor 1,4,7,10-Tetrakis[(S)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane: A Combined X-Ray Crystallographic and Theoretical Study Producing an Assessment of the Crystal Packing Energy

X-Ray crystallography demonstrates that the guest molecule binding cavity within the molecular receptor ligand 1,4,7,10-tetrakis[(S)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl]-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane, (S)-thpec12, is a poorly defined conical region stabilized by three O–H···O hydrogen bonds and a single O–H···N hydrogen bond. Two similar, but crystallographically independent, molecules exist within the unit cell. Ab initio calculations, using Gaussian 03 (LanL2DZ basis set at the Hartree–Fock level of theory), predict that these have steric energies of 97.73 and 97.06 kJ mol−1, respectively, above that of the minimum energy (gas phase) conformer of the same hydrogen-bonding configuration, which is believed to be the structure of global minimum energy. The mean of these energies (97.4 kJ mol−1) represents a best estimate of the crystal packing energy for (S)-thpec12, some of which is seen to be expended in rotating the phenyl rings away from the positions favoured in the gas phase. The ability of the CdII complex of (S)-thpec12 to act as a molecular receptor for aromatic anions is demonstrated by the isolation of two inclusion compounds in which p-nitrophenolate and anthraquinone-2-sulfonate are retained.

A colorimetric chemosensor for both fluoride and transition metal ions based on dipyrrolyl derivative

The synthesis, characterization and ion binding studies of 2,3-di(1H-2-pyrrolyl)pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine (1) have been described. 1, which has been targeted with a view to sensing both F- and transition metal ions, exhibits binding-induced color changes from yellowish green to red/brown observable by the naked eye. The binding site for the metal ion in the system has been unambiguously established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of a Ni(II) complex of 1. While the estimated value of the binding constant of 1 with F- is 4.9 x 10(3) M(-1), the binding constants for the cations are found to be two orders higher in magnitude in acetonitrile. Even though 1 possesses two separate binding sites for F- and metal ions, it is shown that the presence of the cation influences the binding of the anion and vice versa. The binding constant values of an ion in the presence of oppositely charged species are measured to be significantly lower.

Cadmium-113 NMR studies on homoleptic complexes containing thioether ligands: the crystal structures of [Cd([12]aneS4)2](ClO4)2, [Cd([18]aneS4N2)](PF6)2 and [Cd([9]aneS3)2](PF6)2

We report the measurement of 113Cd NMR chemical shift data for homoleptic thioether and related aza and mixed aza/thiacrown complexes. In a series of Cd(II) complexes containing trithioether to hexathioether ligands, we observe solution 113Cd NMR chemical shifts in the range of 225 to 731 ppm. Upfield chemical shifts in these NMR spectra are seen whenever: (a) the number of thioether sulfur donors in the complex is decreased, (b) a thioether sulfur donor is replaced by a secondary nitrogen donor, or (c) the size of the macrocycle ring increases without a change in the nature or number of the donor atoms. Changes in the identity of non-coordinating anions such as perchlorate or hexafluorophosphate have little effect upon the 113Cd NMR chemical shift in solution. We report the X-ray structure of the complex [Cd([12]aneS4)2](ClO4)2 ([12]aneS4 = 1,4,7,10-tetrathiacyclododecane) (1) which shows the first example of octakis(thioether) coordination of a metal ion, forming an unusual eight-coordinate square antiprismatic structure. We report the X-ray structure of the complex [Cd([9]aneS3)2](PF6)2 ([9]aneS3 = 1,4,7-trithiacyclononane) (3a) which shows hexakis(thioether) coordination to form a distorted octahedral structure. We have also prepared and characterized the Cd(II) complex of a mixed azathiacrown, [Cd([18]aneS4N2)](PF6)2 ([18]aneS4N2 = 1,4,10,13-tetrathia-7,16-diazacyclooctadecane) (6). Its X-ray structure shows a distorted octahedral S4N2 environment around the Cd(II) with the ligand coordinated in the rac fashion. We observe a solvent- and temperature-dependent 14N-1H coupling in the 1H NMR spectrum of the complex which is not present in analogous complexes with this ligand.

Cholesterol-Armed Cyclens for Helical Metal Complexes Offering Chiral Self-Aggregation and Sensing of Amino Acid Anions in Aqueous Solutions

Cholesterol-armed cyclens worked as octadentate receptors for Na+, Ca2+, and Y3+ complexes in which four chiral cholesterol-functionalized sidearms were bundled and asymmetrically twisted above cyclen-metal complex platforms. Since the resulting helical metal complexes included chiral, hydrophobic cholesterol residues and charged, hydrophilic metal sites as well as asymmetric coordination geometries, they exhibited unique amphiphilic properties and provided chiral self-aggregates in aqueous solutions. Light scattering, fluorescence, and TEM characterizations demonstrated that Na+ complex with cholesterol-armed cyclen gave a particularly stable self-aggregate in aqueous solution and offered supramolecular environments effective for sensing and detection of amino acid anions. Various dansylamino acid derivatives (dansyl = 5-(dimethylamino)-1-naphthalenesulfonyl) were nicely accommodated in the helicate aggregates to give highly enhanced fluorescence signals, which could be detected by the naked eye at 10(-7) mol/L level. Their inclusion behaviors were analyzed by a Langmuir-type equation, indicating that enantiomer-selective inclusion occurred. MM/MD calculations and circular dichroism (CD) studies further suggested that cholesterol-armed cyclen helicates have chiral and hydrophobic cavities upon self-aggregation, in which the dansylamino acid anions were specifically accommodated. Since these helicates exhibited nonselective binding abilities in solvent extraction experiments of dansylamino acid anions, uncommon chiral recognition and sensing functions were generated by supramolecular alignments of the chiral metal helicates in the aqueous solutions.

Binding of Inorganic Oxoanions to Macrocyclic Ligands: Effect of the Degree of Protonation on Supramolecular Assemblies Formed by Phosphate and [18]aneN6

Five macrocycle-oxoanion adducts have been isolated from aqueous solutions containing 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaazacyclooctadecane ([18]aneN(6), L) and phosphoric acid whose pH had been adjusted to selected values in the 1-8 range. Four products, (H(6)L)(H(2)PO(4))(6).2H(3)PO(4) (1), (H(6)L)(H(2)PO(4))(6) (2), (H(4)L)(H(2)PO(4))(4).2H(2)O (4), and (H(4)L)(HPO(4))(2).7H(2)O (5) crystallized from aqueous solutions at pH 1, 3, 6, and 8, respectively, while (H(4)L)(H(2)PO(4))(4) (3) crystallized on diffusion of EtOH into an aqueous reaction mixture at pH 6. Single-crystal X-ray structure determinations enabled an examination of supramolecular interactions between protonated forms of [18]aneN(6), phosphoric acid and its conjugate bases, and water of solvation. The macrocycle adopts a variety of conformations in order to accommodate the supramolecular constructs formed by the oxoanions and solvent molecules as the relative proportions of interacting species are altered. At pH 1 and 3, the fully protonated macrocycle, [LH(6)](6+), is found with six H(2)PO(4)(-) anions. At pH 6 and 8, the tetraprotonated macrocycle, [LH(4)](4+), crystallizes with four H(2)PO(4)(-) and two HPO(4)(2)(-), respectively. Variations in the solute of crystallization are evident, with phosphoric acid being present at the lowest pH and water at pH 6 and 8. In 5, the seven unique water molecules form a string-of-pearls motif within which a new heptameric isomer, consisting of a water pentamer that uses a single water to interact with the other two unique water molecules, is found. Structures 1, 2, 4, and 5 exhibit eta-3 H-bonding of ammonium protons to a single oxygen of the guest phosphates located above and below the macrocyclic ring. In 3, two phosphate oxygens of the cavity anion interact with the macrocycle, one of which participates in eta-2 H-bonding with ammonium groups.