Guest-Dependent Complexation of Triptycene-Based Macrotricyclic Host with Paraquat Derivatives and Secondary Ammonium Salts: A Chemically Controlled Complexation Process

Complexation of Racemic 2,6-Helic[6]arene and Its Hexamethyl-Substituted Derivative with Quaternary Ammonium Salts, N-Heterocyclic Salts, and Tetracyanoquinodimethane

Complexation of racemic 2,6-helic[6]arene 1 and its hexamethyl-substituted derivative 2 with quaternary ammonium salts, N-heterocyclic salts, and tetracyanoquinodimethane have been described in detail. It was found that host 2 could form stable complexes with acetyl choline, thiaacetyl choline, N,N,N-trimethylbenzenammonium salt, pyridinium, and 4,4'-bipyridinium salts in solution and/or in the solid state. The unsubstituted macrocycle 1 showed more significant complexation with the widely tested quaternary ammonium salts and N-heterocyclic salts, and exhibited stronger complexation towards the guests than its derivative 2. Moreover, it was found that macrocycle 1 and its derivative 2 could also complex with neutral electron-deficient tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), and the association constants were determined to be 2840±94 and 1358±46 m^-1 , respectively. These results could make this new macrocycle and its derivatives find wide applications in the design and construction of functional supramolecular assemblies.

Acid/base controllable complexation of a triptycene-derived macrotricyclic host and protonated 4,4′-bipyridinium/pyridinium salts

A new acid/base controllable host–guest system based on a triptycene-derived macrotricyclic host and protonated 4,4′-bipyridinium/pyridinium salts was developed.

Multicavity macrocyclic hosts

Multicavity macrocyclic hosts are host molecules comprising more than one macrocyclic guest binding components connected through multipoint linkages.

Metal ion-modulated self-assembly of pseudo-suit[3]anes using crown ether-based terpyridine metalloprisms

The host–guest inclusion rates of two metallo-supramolecular pseudo-suit[3]anes are modulated by metal–terpyridine interactions in the metallo-suits.

Synthesis of a novel water-soluble cylindrical macrotricyclic host and its complexation with N-methylquinolinium and N-methylisoquinolinium salts: formation of 1 : 2 complexes in water

A water-soluble cylindrical macrotricyclic host could form 1 : 2 complexes with N-methylquinolinium or N-methylisoquinolinium salts in water solution and in the solid state.

Iptycene-derived crown ether hosts for molecular recognition and self-assembly

CONSPECTUS: Synthetic macrocyclic hosts have played key roles in the development of host-guest chemistry. Crown ethers are a class of macrocyclic molecules with unique flexible structures. They have served as the first generation of synthetic hosts, and researchers have extensively studied them in molecular recognition. However, the flexible structures of simple crown ethers and their relatively limited modes of complexation with guests have limited the further applications of these molecules. In recent years, researchers have moved toward fabricating interlocking molecules, supramolecular polymers, and other assemblies with specific structures and properties. Therefore, researchers have developed more complex crown ether-based macrocyclic hosts with multicavity structures and multicomplexation modes that provide more diverse and sophisticated host-guest systems. In this Account, we summarize our research on the synthesis and characterization of iptycene-derived crown ether hosts, their use as host molecules, and their applications in self-assembled complexes. Iptycenes including triptycenes and pentiptycenes are a class of aromatic compounds with unique rigid three-dimensional structures. As a result, they are promising building blocks for the synthesis of novel macrocyclic hosts and the construction of novel self-assembled complexes with specific structures and properties. During the last several years, we have designed and synthesized a new class of iptycene-derived crown ether hosts including macrotricyclic polyethers, molecular tweezer-like hosts, and tritopic tris(crown ether) hosts, which are all composed of rigid iptycene building blocks linked by flexible crown ether chains. We have examined the complexation behavior of these hosts with different types of organic guest molecules. Unlike with conventional crown ethers, the combination of iptycene moieties and crown ether chains provides the iptycene-derived crown ether hosts with complexation properties that differ based on the structure of the guests. The rigid iptycene moieties within these synthetic host molecules both maintain their inherent three-dimensional cavities and generate multicavity structures. The flexible crown ether chains allow the iptycene-derived hosts to adjust their conformations as they encapsulate guest molecules. Moreover, the expanded complexation properties also allow the host-guest systems based on the iptycene-derived crown ethers to respond to multiple external stimuli, resulting in a variety of supramolecular assemblies. Finally, we also describe the construction of mechanically interlocked self-assemblies, molecular switches/molecular machines, and supramolecular polymers using these new host molecules. We expect that the unique structural features and diverse complexation properties of these iptycene-derived crown ether hosts will lead to increasing interest in this field and in supramolecular chemistry overall.

Formation of a “pseudosuitane”-type complex between a triptycene-derived bis(crown ether) host and 1,1′-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(N-benzylmethanaminium): a new method for the synthesis of linear polyrotaxanes

Formation of a “pseudosuitane”-type complex based on triptycene-derived bis(crown ether) provides a new method for the synthesis of linear polyrotaxanes.

Novel binding regioselectivity in the interpenetration of a non-symmetric axle into a non-symmetric pillar[5]arene wheel

A non-symmetric pillar[5]arene bearing methyl and pentyl rims can regioselectively bind 5-bromovaleronitrile, with the directionality of CN@methyl rim and Br@pentyl rim.

Complexation of 1,4-bis(pyridinium)butanes by negatively charged carboxylatopillar[5]arene

The binding behavior of substituted 1,4-bis(pyridinium)butane derivatives (X-Py(CH(2))(4)Py-X, X = H, 2-methyl, 3-methyl, 4-methyl, 2,6-dimethyl, 4-pyridyl, and 4-COOEthyl) 1(2+)-7(2+), with negatively charged carboxylatopillar[5]arene (CP5A) has been comprehensively investigated by (1)H NMR and 2D ROESY and UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in aqueous phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.2). The results indicated that the position of the substituents attached on pyridinium ring dramatically affects the association constants and binding modes. 3- and 4-Substituted guests (1(2+), 3(2+), 4(2+), 6(2+), 7(2+)) form [2]pseudorotaxane geometries with CP5A host, giving very large association constants (>10(5) M(-1)), while 2,6-dimethyl-substituted 5(2+) forms external complex with relatively small K(a) values [(2.4 ± 0.3) × 10(3) M(-1)] because the 2,6-dimethylpyridinium unit is too bulky to thread the host cavity. Both of the binding geometries mentioned above are observed for 2(2+), having one methyl group in the 2-position of pyridinium. Typically, the association constant of [2]pseudorotaxane 1(2+)⊂CP5A exceeds 10(6) M(-1) in water, which is significantly higher than those of previously reported analogues in organic solvents. The remarkably improved complexation of bis(pyridinium) guests by the anionic host was due to electrostatic attraction forces and hydrophobic interactions.

Studies on [3]pseudorotaxane formation from a bis-azacrown derivative as host and imidazolium ion-derivatives as guest

A new host molecule, having two azacrown derivatives bridged by luminescent naphthalene diimide functionality, is found to form a [3]pseudorotaxane derivative with imidazolim ion-based guest molecules in non-polar solvents through hydrogen-bonded adduct formation. Depending upon the length of the covalent linker that links the imidazolium ion and the luminescent naphthalene fragment in the guests, the [3]pseudorotaxane adducts adopt different conformation or orientation with varying π-π/donor-acceptor interaction. The mechanism for the naphthalene-based luminescence quenching by NDI fragment on adduct formation was found to be a combination of static, as well as dynamic with static quenching as the dominant one.

Complex interactions of pillar[5]arene with paraquats and bis(pyridinium) derivatives

The complexation behavior of a series of paraquats (G1.2PF(6)-G5.2PF(6)) and bis(pyridinium) derivatives (G6.2PF(6)-G14.2PF(6)) with pillar[5]arene (P5A) host has been comprehensively investigated by (1)H NMR, ESI mass and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. It is found that P5A forms 2 : 1 external complexes with N,N'-dialkyl-4,4'-bipyridiniums (G1-G4.2PF(6)); while it forms 1 : 1 pseudorotaxane-type inclusion complexes with methylene [-(CH(2))(n)-] linked bis(pyridinium) derivatives possessing appropriate chain lengths (n = 3-6, G7-G10.2PF(6)). Host-guest association constants in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) were determined, indicating G7-G10.2PF(6) axles form stable [2]pseudorotaxanes with P5A wheel in this very high polarity solvent and 1,4-bis(pyridinium)butane (G8.2PF(6)) was the most suitable axle unit. Meanwhile, the nature of the substituents attached to 1,4-bis(pyridinium)butane dramatically affects the molecular recognition behavior. The introduction of pyridyls (G13.2PF(6)) increases not only the K(a) value (4.5 x 10(2) --> 7.4 x 10(2) M(-1)), but also the charge transfer (CT) absorption (colorless --> yellow). Furthermore, the solvent effects have also been investigated, showing they significantly influence the association strength during the course of host-guest complexation. Particularly, the K(a) value of P5A-G13.2PF(6) in 1 : 1 (v:v) acetone-d(6)/DMSO-d(6) is enhanced by a factor of 7.3 compared with pure DMSO-d6 (7.4 x 10(2) --> 5.4 x 10(3) M(-1)).

Molecular recognition of organic ammonium ions in solution using synthetic receptors

Ammonium ions are ubiquitous in chemistry and molecular biology. Considerable efforts have been undertaken to develop synthetic receptors for their selective molecular recognition. The type of host compounds for organic ammonium ion binding span a wide range from crown ethers to calixarenes to metal complexes. Typical intermolecular interactions are hydrogen bonds, electrostatic and cation-π interactions, hydrophobic interactions or reversible covalent bond formation. In this review we discuss the different classes of synthetic receptors for organic ammonium ion recognition and illustrate the scope and limitations of each class with selected examples from the recent literature. The molecular recognition of ammonium ions in amino acids is included and the enantioselective binding of chiral ammonium ions by synthetic receptors is also covered. In our conclusion we compare the strengths and weaknesses of the different types of ammonium ion receptors which may help to select the best approach for specific applications.

Iptycenes in supramolecular and materials chemistry

Iptycenes, including triptycene as the smallest member, are rigid molecules with shapes that lead them to form open structures with substantial "free volume". There is a great deal of excitement in the application of these molecules to supramolecular chemistry, where researchers have taken advantage of their unique properties to construct new molecules and materials, including molecular machines, novel liquid crystals, and porous polymers for chemical sensing. This tutorial review highlights the application of iptycenes to the supramolecular chemistry of crystal engineering, host-guest complexes, molecular machines, polymers, and liquid crystals.