A Zinc(II)-Included Hemicryptophane: Facile Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activity

Turn-on fluorescent capsule for selective fluoride detection and water purification

It has been a long-standing challenge to develop organic molecular capsules for selective anion binding in water. Here, selective recognition of aqueous fluoride was achieved through triple protonation of a hemicryptophane (L), which is composed of a fluorescent cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) cap and tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) as the anion binding site. Fluoride encapsulation by [3H-L]³⁺ was evidenced by ¹H NMR, ¹⁹F NMR, LC-MS, and X-ray crystallography. In addition, [3H-L]³⁺ exhibited a 'turn-on' fluorescence signal (λ _em = 324 nm) upon fluoride addition. An apparent association constant K _A = (7.5 ± 0.4) × 10⁴ M^-1 and a detection limit of 570 nM fluoride were extracted from the fluorescence titration experiments in citrate buffer at pH 4.1. To the best of our knowledge, [3H-L]³⁺ is the first example of a metal-free molecular capsule that reports on fluoride binding in purely aqueous solutions with a fluorescence response. Finally, the protonated capsule was supported on silica gel, which enabled adsorptive removal of stoichiometric fluoride from water and highlights real-world applications of this organic host-guest chemistry.

Counteranions at Peripheral Sites Tune Guest Affinity for a Protonated Hemicryptophane

The affinity of small molecules for biomolecular cavities is tuned through a combination of primary and secondary interactions. It has been challenging to mimic these features in organic synthetic host molecules, however, where the cavities tend to be highly symmetric and nonpolar, and less amenable to chemical manipulation. Here, a host molecule composed of a TREN ligand and cyclotriveratrylene moiety was investigated. Size-matched polar guests were encapsulated within the cavity via triple protonation of the TREN moiety with various sulfonic acids. X-ray crystallography confirmed guest encapsulation and identified three methanesulfonates, p-toluenesulfonates, or 2-naphthalenesulfonates hydrogen-bonded with H3TREN at the periphery of the cavity. These structurally diverse counteranions were shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy to differentially regulate guest access at the three portals, and to undergo competitive displacement in solution. This work reveals "counteranion tuning" to be a simple and powerful strategy for modulating host-guest affinity, as applied here in a TREN-hemicryptophane.

Synthesis of Cyclotriveratrylene-Sucrose-Based Capsules

Cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) is a C₃-symmetrical macrocycle, which can be used as a chiral building block in the construction of supramolecular containers. Coupling of the CTV unit with a sucrose molecule gave enantiopure water-soluble (after deprotection) containers. The absolute configuration of the synthesized capsules was determined by NMR and ECD spectroscopies and DFT calculations.

Investigation of Hemicryptophane Host-Guest Binding Energies Using High-Pressure Collision-Induced Dissociation in Combination with RRKM Modeling

In advancing host-guest (H-G) chemistry, considerable effort has been spent to synthesize host molecules with specific and well-defined molecular recognition characteristics including selectivity and adjustable affinity. An important step in the process is the characterization of binding strengths of the H-G complexes that is typically performed in solution using NMR or fluorescence. Here, we present a mass spectrometry-based multimodal approach to obtain critical energies of dissociation for two hemicryptophane cages with three biologically relevant guest molecules. A combination of blackbody infrared radiative dissociation (BIRD) and high-pressure collision-induced dissociation (high-pressure CID), along with RRKM modeling, was employed for this purpose. For the two tested hemicryptophane hosts, the cage containing naphthyl linkages exhibited stronger interactions than the cage bearing phenyl linkages. For both cages, the order of guest stability is choline > acetylcholine > betaine. The information obtained by these types of mass spectrometric studies can provide new insight into the structural features that most influence the stability of H-G pairs, thereby providing guidance for future syntheses. Graphical Abstract.

Tailored oxido-vanadium(V) cage complexes for selective sulfoxidation in confined spaces

Five sets of oxido-vanadium(V) complexes, which include both cages and open structures, were prepared and tested in the catalytic oxidation of sulfides. It was found that the hemicryptophane complexes, which are simultaneously comprised of cyclotriveratrylene (CTV), binaphthol and oxido-vanadium(V) moieties, are the most efficient supramolecular catalysts. The specific shape of the confined hydrophobic space above the metal center leads to a strong improvement in the yield, selectivity and rate of the reaction, compared to the other catalysts investigated herein. A remarkable turnover number (TON) of 10 000 was obtained, which can be attributed to both the high reactivity and stability of the catalyst. Similarly to enzymes, the kinetic analysis shows that the mechanism of oxidation with the supramolecular catalysts obeys the Michaelis-Menten model, in which initial rate saturation occurs upon an increase in substrate concentration. This enzyme-like behavior is also supported by the competitive inhibition and substrate size-selectivity observed, which underline the crucial role played by the cavity.

Improved hemicryptophane hosts for the stereoselective recognition of glucopyranosides

Four new enantiomerically and diastereomerically pure hemicryptophane hosts (M-SSS-2/P-SSS-2 and M-RRR-2/P-RRR-2 pairs) were designed for the recognition of sugar derivatives. Their absolute configuration was determined from the circular dichroism spectra and DFT calculations. The host molecules were then used for the stereoselective recognition of glucopyranosides. Binding constants were obtained from (1)H NMR titration experiments showing an increase of affinity for this class of receptors, associated with an improved diastereo- and enantio-differentiation.

Supramolecular control of monooxygenase reactivity in a copper(ii) cryptate

We report on the formation and self-decomposition of Cu(ii)–hydroperoxo intermediates with a cryptand ligand. The second coordination sphere of the cryptand steers the oxidative reactivity of the intermediates towards the formation of an unprecedented N-oxide.

Synthesis and physico-chemical properties of the first water soluble Cu(ii)@hemicryptophane complex

A water-soluble metallo-enzyme model featuring a copper(ii) site encaged in a closed-shell cavity of a hemicryptophane has been synthesized and studied.

Supramolecular catalysis. Part 2: artificial enzyme mimics

The design of artificial catalysts able to compete with the catalytic proficiency of enzymes is an intense subject of research. Non-covalent interactions are thought to be involved in several properties of enzymatic catalysis, notably (i) the confinement of the substrates and the active site within a catalytic pocket, (ii) the creation of a hydrophobic pocket in water, (iii) self-replication properties and (iv) allosteric properties. The origins of the enhanced rates and high catalytic selectivities associated with these properties are still a matter of debate. Stabilisation of the transition state and favourable conformations of the active site and the product(s) are probably part of the answer. We present here artificial catalysts and biomacromolecule hybrid catalysts which constitute good models towards the development of truly competitive artificial enzymes.