Coordination Chemistry of Phosphorylated Calixarenes and Their Application to Separations Science

Structural and conformational analysis of a biaryl phosphine integrating a calix[4]arene cavity. Can the phosphorus atom behave as an introverted donor?

The conformational preference of a cavity-based biaryl phosphine, namely 5-(2-diphenylphosphinyl-phenyl)-25,26,27,28-tetrapropyloxycalix[4]arene (L) has been investigated by density functional theory calculations. The analysis showed that the barrier to rotation about the C-C axle of the biaryl unit is only 10.7 kcal mol^-1, this rendering possible access to conformers of two types, those in which the P lone pair sits at the cavity entrance and points to the calixarene interior, others with a more open structure where the P atom is located outside the cavity. As revealed by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study, the biaryl phosphine appears virtually as an atropisomer in the solid state in which the phosphorus atom lies totally out of the cavity defined by the four phenoxy rings.

Calixarenes: Generalities and Their Role in Improving the Solubility, Biocompatibility, Stability, Bioavailability, Detection, and Transport of Biomolecules

The properties and characteristics of calix[n]arenes are described, as well as their capacity to form amphiphilic assemblies by means of the design of synthetic macrocycles with a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail. Their interaction with various substances of interest in pharmacy, engineering, and medicine is also described. In particular, the role of the calix[n]arenes in the detection of dopamine, the design of vesicles and liposomes employed in the manufacture of systems of controlled release drugs used in the treatment of cancer, and their role in improving the solubility of testosterone and anthelmintic drugs and the biocompatibility of biomaterials useful for the manufacture of synthetic organs is emphasized. The versatility of these macrocycles, able to vary in size, shape, functional groups, and hydrophobicity and to recognize various biomolecules and molecules with biological activity without causing cytotoxicity is highlighted.

Host-Guest Recognition of Pesticides by Calixarenes

This article is based on a review of the literature and our own experience with toxicological molecules. We explain the nature of calix[n]arenes and as their recognized properties are used to detect compounds of toxicological interest, mainly the most important pesticide families such as organophosphorated, organochlorine compounds, pyrethroid insecticides, carbamate fungicides, and herbicides, using different techniques. In addition, we show the role of the macrocycle and its interactions, and the advantage of using this type of compound for improving conventional techniques, where the phenomenon of recognition is very important, such as chromatography, solid-phased extraction, and the development of specific sensors, among others and Even we also show the use of this macrocycle for detoxication procedures in vivo. In this way, we display as the multiple possibilities of functionalization of the calix[n]arenes makes these versatile molecules in the phenomena of specific recognition. Finally, This review highlights the main analytical methods reported in the literature for determination of plaguicides by host-guest interaction with calixarenes. In this way, among the available analytical tools, chromatographic, and electrochemical-based methods are the most used techniques for the detection and to quantify plaguicides using calixarenes.

Synergism as a phenomenon in solvent extraction of 4f-elements with calixarenes

The objective of the review is to provide an overview on the synergistic solvent extraction of lanthanoids: β-diketone/calixarene mixtures.

Selective sorption of palladium by thiocarbamoyl-substituted thiacalix[n]arene derivatives immobilized on amberlite resin: application to leach liquors of automotive catalysts

Thiocarbamoyl-substituted thiacalix[n]arene derivatives immobilized on amberlite resins have the potential for application as new adsorbents for selective separation of Pd(ii) ions from leach liquors of automotive catalysts.

Comparing extraction, synergism and separation of lanthanoids using acidic and neutral compounds in chloroform and one ionic liquid: is the latter always “better”?

Five lanthanoid ions were extracted with 3-methyl-1-phenyl-4-(4-trifluoromethylbenzoyl)-pyrazol-5-one alone and in combination with partially substituted calix[4]arenes as synergistic agents using CHCl₃ and one IL.

Uranyl complexes formed with a para-t-butylcalix[4]arene bearing phosphinoyl pendant arms on the lower rim. Solid and solution studies

The current interest in functionalized calixarenes with phosphorylated pendant arms resides in their coordination ability towards f elements and capability towards actinide/rare earth separation. Uranyl cation forms 1:1 and 1:2 (M:L) complexes with a tetra-phosphinoylated p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene, B4bL4: UO2(NO3)2(B4bL4) n · xH2O (n = 1, x = 2, 1; n = 2, x = 6, 2). Spectroscopic data point to the inner coordination sphere of 1 containing one monodentate nitrate anion, one water molecule and the four phosphinoylated arms bound to UO2 2+ while in 2, uranyl is only coordinated to calixarene ligands. In both cases the U(VI) ion is 8-coordinate. Uranyl complexes display enhanced metal-centred luminescence due to energy transfer from the calixarene ligands; the luminescence decays are bi-exponential with associated lifetimes in the ranges 220 μs <τ s <250 μs and 630 μs <τ L < 640 μs, pointing to the presence of two species with differently coordinated calixarene, as substantiated by a XPS study of U(4f 5/2,7/2), O(1s) and P(2p) levels on solid state samples. The extraction study of UO2 2+ cation and trivalent rare-earth (Y, La, Eu) ions from acidic nitrate media by B4bL4 in chloroform shows the uranyl cation being much more extracted than rare earths.

Fabricating and controlling molecular self-organization at solid surfaces: studies by scanning tunneling microscopy

This account presents a summary of recent work describing the control and fabrication of self-organized molecular adlayers on solid substrates. These results demonstrate that molecules, under appropriate conditions, will self-organize into well-ordered monolayers on various solid surfaces. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) to probe the structure of these molecular architectures, it is possible to determine the surface quality to single molecule resolution. The surface structures can be controlled by external stimuli such as electrode potential and UV-light. The ability to control how these adlayers form is important for constructing surface molecular architectures with useful properties.

Incorporation of Triazacyclononane into the Metal Phosphonate Backbones

This paper reports the syntheses and crystal structures of a manganese and a uranyl phosphonate based on 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triyl-tris(methylenephosphonic acid), namely, Mn3{C9N3H18(PO3)3}(H2O)6 x 1.5 H2O (1) and UO2{C9N3H19(PO3H)3} x H2O (2). Compound 1 shows a unique layer structure where the hydrophobic triazacyclononane moieties all reside on one side of the inorganic backbone of the manganese phosphonate layer while the hydrophilic coordinated water molecules reside on the other side. In compound 2, the triazacyclononane moieties are immobilized on the inorganic backbone of the uranyl phosphonate chains. The magnetic properties of compound 1 and the ion exchange properties of compound 2 have been studied.