Regioselective Oxidation of C-H Bonds in Unactivated Alkanes by a Vanadium Superoxo Catalyst Bound to a Supramolecular Host

A vanadyl ion bound to a cucurbituril (CB) host was reported to oxidize pentane to 2-pentanol in the presence of an oxidizer. DFT calculations suggest that the catalyst selectively reacts with stronger C-H bonds in pentane over weaker C-H bonds in cyclohexane due to size exclusion by the CB host. The active catalyst is an unprecedented vanadium superoxo species bound to the host, and the selectivity toward secondary over the primary C-H bond is the result of a higher degree of charge transfer from the secondary compared to the primary position.

Are cucurbiturils better drug carriers for bent metallocenes? Insights from theory

Bent metallocenes (BM) have anti-tumor properties but they face a serious drug efficacy problem due to poor aqueous solubility and rapid hydrolysis under physiological conditions. These two problems can be fixed by encapsulating them in host molecules such as cyclodextrin (CD), cucurbituril (CB) etc. Experimentally, CD-BM, CB-BM host-guest complexes have been investigated to check the efficiency of the drug delivery and efficiency of the encapsulated drug. CB has been reported to be a better host than CD but the reasons for this has not been figured out. This can be done by finding out the mechanism of binding and the nature of the binding forces in both the inclusion complexes. This is exactly done here by performing a DFT study at BP86/TZP level on CB-BM host-guest systems. For comparison CD-BM with β-cyclodextrin as host have been studied. Four BMs (Cp₂MCl₂, M=Ti, V, Nb, Mo) and their corresponding cations (Cp₂MCl⁺, Cp₂M²⁺) are chosen as guests and they are encapsulated into cucurbit-[6]-uril (CB[6]) and cucurbit-[7]-uril(CB[7]) host systems. Computations reveal that CB[7] accommodates well the BMs over CB[6] due to their larger cavity size and also CB[7] is found to be a better host than β-cyclodextrin. BMs enter vertically rather than horizontally into the CB cavity. The reversible binding of BMs within CB[7] is controlled by various non-bonding interactions and mainly by hydrogen bonding between the portal oxygen atoms and Cp protons as revealed by QTAIM analysis. On the other hand, the interaction between the wall nitrogen atoms in CB[7] and chlorine atoms attached to the metal in BM strengthens the M-Cl bonds that prevents rapid hydrolysis of M-Cl and M-Cp bonds saving the drug. Comparatively, BMs experience less electrostatic attraction and more Pauli repulsion within β-cyclodextrin cavity and this affects the drug binding with CD. This makes β-cyclodextrin a less suitable drug carrier for BMs than CBs. Among the four BMs, niobocene binds strongly and titanocene binds weakly with CBs. EDA clearly shows that all the interactions between the guest and host are non-covalent in nature and electrostatic interactions outperform high-repulsion resulting in stable complexes. Cations form stronger complexes than neutral BMs. FMO analysis reveals that neutral BMs are less reactive compared to their cations and complexes are more reactive in CB[6] environment due to excess strain. QTAIM analysis helps to bring out the newer insights in these types of host-guest systems.

Chiral hemicucurbit[8]uril as an anion receptor: selectivity to size, shape and charge distribution

A novel eight-membered macrocycle of the hemicucurbit[n]uril family, chiral (all-R)-cyclohexanohemicucurbit[8]uril (cycHC[8]) ‡The name cyclohexylhemicucurbituril, previously used for these macrocycles, is changed in accordance with the IUPAC nomenclature for fused cycles, as the cyclohexane substituents are fused with the parent hemicucurbituril. binds anions in a purely protic solvent with remarkable selectivity. The cycHC[8] portals open and close to fully encapsulate anions in a 1 : 1 ratio, resembling a molecular Pac-Man™. Comprehensive gas, solution and solid phase studies prove that the binding is governed by the size, shape and charge distribution of the bound anion. Gas phase studies show an order of SbF6- ≈ PF6- > ReO4- > ClO4- > SCN- > BF4- > HSO4- > CF3SO3- for anion complexation strength. An extensive crystallographic study reveals the preferred orientations of the anions within the octahedral cavity of cycHC[8] and highlights the importance of the size- and shape-matching between the anion and the receptor cavity. The solution studies show the strongest binding of the ideally fitting SbF6- anion, with an association constant of 2.5 × 105 M-1 in pure methanol. The symmetric, receptor cavity-matching charge distribution of the anions results in drastically stronger binding than in the case of anions with asymmetric charge distribution. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) reveals the complexation to be exothermic and enthalpy-driven. The DFT calculations and VT-NMR studies confirmed that the complexation proceeds through a pre-complex formation while the exchange of methanol solvent with the anion is the rate-limiting step. The octameric cycHC[8] offers a unique example of template-controlled design of an electroneutral host for binding large anions in a competitive polar solvent.

Unusual intramolecular CH⋯O hydrogen bonding interaction between a sterically bulky amide and uranyl oxygen

An unusual intramolecular CH⋯O hydrogen bonding interaction between a sterically bulky amide and uranyl oxygen is found to selectively extract uranyl.

Template-controlled synthesis of chiral cyclohexylhemicucurbit[8]uril

Enantiomerically pure cyclohexylhemicucurbit[8]uril (cycHC[8]), possessing a barrel-shaped cavity, has been prepared in high yield on a gram scale from either (R,R,N,N')-cyclohex-1,2-diylurea and formaldehyde or cycHC[6]. In either case, a dynamic covalent library is first generated from which the desired cycHC can be amplified using a suitable anion template.

Computational and ion mobility MS study of (all-S)-cyclohexylhemicucurbit[6]uril structure and complexes

A computational study of (all-S)-cyclohexylhemicucurbit[6]uril and its complexes with anions (Cl(-), Br(-), I(-) and HCOO(-)), the proton (H(+)) and non-dissociated acid (HCl, HBr, HI and HCOOH) guests was performed. The geometries of guest-host complexes were optimized via density functional theory using the BP86 functional, SV(P) basis set and Stuttgart pseudopotentials for iodide. Binding affinities and their trends were evaluated at the BP86/TZVPD level of theory. In addition, the quantum theory of atoms in molecules was used to gain insight into guest-host interactions. A computational study in the gas phase and ion-mobility mass-spectrometry analysis revealed that the studied macrocycle formed inclusion complexes with anions. Protonation of the macrocycle is preferred at the nitrogen atom pointing inside of the cavity. In the studied conditions, non-dissociated acids formed complexes at the oxygen atom pointing outside of the macrocycle.

Ultrasonic, spectrophotometric and theoretical studies of sigma and PI interactions of iodine with substituted benzene

The acoustical method shows the ability to study the structure, energetics and spectroscopic aspects of charge transfer complexes of three different benzenoid compounds with iodine and is supported by the UV-Visible and DFT methods.

Elucidating the structures and cooperative binding mechanism of cesium salts to the multitopic ion-pair receptor through density functional theory calculations

Quantum chemical studies predict the binding of Cesium salts to multitopic ion-pair receptor is through cooperative mechanism.

Studies on the inclusion behavior of 9-Aminoacridine into cyclodextrins: spectroscopic and theoretical evidences

9-Aminoacridine (9-AA) is an important attractive pharmaceutical drug employed as chemotheraptic agent for wound dressings. However, 9-AA possesses limited solubility and rapid metabolic decomposition renders this potential drug to limit its applications. Here we propose cyclodextrins (CDs) as a drug carrier to improve the bioavailability, solubility of 9-AA. The interaction between 9-AA and CDs (α-CD and β-CD) has been studied using UV-Vis absorption, steady state time resolved fluorescence, (1)H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy techniques. The spectroscopic measurements show that 9-AA does not form stable complex with α-CD and also confirmed by DFT calculations. On the other hand, 9-AA forms inclusion complex with β-CD in a 1:1 stoichiometry ratio. Our DFT results suggest that 9-AA stabilizes inside the CD environment through hydrogen bonding that has unambiguously confirmed by AIM analysis. Thus our studies provide a useful insights in the development of Aminoacridine based drugs & its delivery through a suitable carrier like CDs.