A Chiral Halogen-Bonding [3]Rotaxane for the Recognition and Sensing of Biologically Relevant Dicarboxylate Anions

The unprecedented application of a chiral halogen-bonding [3]rotaxane host system for the discrimination of stereo- and E/Z geometric isomers of a dicarboxylate anion guest is described. Synthesised by a chloride anion templation strategy, the [3]rotaxane host recognises dicarboxylates through the formation of 1:1 stoichiometric sandwich complexes. This process was analysed by molecular dynamics simulations, which revealed the critical synergy of halogen and hydrogen bonding interactions in anion discrimination. In addition, the centrally located chiral (S)-BINOL motif of the [3]rotaxane axle component facilitates the complexed dicarboxylate species to be sensed via a fluorescence response.

Chiral recognition of carboxylates by a static library of thiourea receptors with amino acid arms

Chiral recognition is based on a large network of very subtle interactions whose outcome is difficult to predict. A combinatorial approach is therefore the most suitable to search for the most efficient receptor and obtain a structure-enantioselectivity correlation. We synthesized a set of 12 receptors constructed with 1,9-diaminoantracene and α-amino acid esters, linked via thiourea groups. The association constants and enantioselectivities for the complexes with mandelate and N-acetylphenylalanine were determined by competitive NMR titrations. Association constants quite regularly depend on the substituents in the receptor structure, but the distribution of enantioselectivities across the library could not easily be rationalized.

Chiral porphyrin dimer with a macrocyclic cavity for intercalation of aromatic guests

Chiral diporphyrin receptor 1, which has a macrocyclic cavity to sandwich aromatic guest molecules via double π-π stacking interactions, enabled the naked-eye detection of an aromatic explosive as well as chiral discrimination in NMR.

An easy assembled fluorescent sensor for dicarboxylates and acidic amino acids

Two mesitylene based neutral receptors 1 and 2 bearing two thiourea binding sites were constructed as fluorescent probes for sensing dicarboxylates. Their binding affinities toward dicarboxylates, aspartate and glutamate have been investigated in acetonitrile solution by fluorescence titration experiments. Both fluorescent sensors exhibited some ability to discriminate the antipodal forms of aspartate and glutamate.