Self-Assembly of Chiral Porous Metal-Organic Polyhedra from Trianglsalen Macrocycles

Metal-organic polyhedra (MOPs) can exhibit tunable porosity and functionality, suggesting potential for applications such as molecular separations. MOPs are typically constructed by the bottom-up multicomponent self-assembly of organic ligands and metal ions, and the final functionality can be hard to program. Here, we used trianglsalen macrocycles as preorganized building blocks to assemble octahedral-shaped MOPs. The resultant MOPs inherit most of the preorganized properties of the macrocyclic ligands, including their well-defined cavities and chirality. As a result, the porosity in the MOPs could be tuned by modifying the structure of the macrocycle building blocks. Using this strategy, we could systematically enlarge the size of the MOPs from 26.3 to 32.1 Å by increasing the macrocycle size. The family of MOPs shows experimental surface areas of up to 820 m2/g, and they are stable in water. One of these MOPs can efficiently separate the rare gases Xe from Kr because the prefabricated macrocyclic windows of MOPs can be modified to sit at the Xe/Kr size cutoff range.

Highly Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Hexakis(m-phenyleneimine) Macrocyle Cm6 and the Thermostimulated Self-Healing Property through Dynamic Covalent Chemistry

Highly efficient one-pot synthesis of hexakis(m-phenyleneimine) macrocycle Cm6 from acetalprotected AB-type monomer, m-aminobenzaldehyde diethylacetal, was successfully achieved based on imine dynamic covalent chemistry and precipitation-driven cyclization. The structure of Cm6 in the solid state was determined using CP/MAS NMR, X-ray single crystallographic analysis, and WAXD. Macrocycle Cm6 is composed of six phenylene and imine bonds facing the same direction, with nitrogen atoms arranged on the outside of the ring, and has a chair conformation, as predicted from DFT calculation. The macrocycle forms π-stacked columnar aggregates and hexagonally closest-packed structure. The cyclization process was investigated using MALDI-TOF MS and NMR. A mechanism of precipitation-driven cyclization based on imine dynamic covalent chemistry and π-stacked columnar aggregation is proposed. Both the nature of imine linkage and the shape anisotropy of the macrocycle played an important role in the single one-pot synthesis. The water-mediated mutual conversion between macrocycle Cm6 and linear oligomers driven by thermal stimulation was analyzed using MALDI-TOF MS and GPC methods. Macrocycle Cm6 with a dynamic covalent imine bond exhibited self-healing properties when stimulated using heat.

Hydrogen Isotope Separation Using a Metal-Organic Cage Built from Macrocycles

Porous materials that contain ultrafine pore apertures can separate hydrogen isotopes via kinetic quantum sieving (KQS). However, it is challenging to design materials with suitably narrow pores for KQS that also show good adsorption capacities and operate at practical temperatures. Here, we investigate a metal-organic cage (MOC) assembled from organic macrocycles and ZnII ions that exhibits narrow windows (<3.0 Å). Two polymorphs, referred to as 2α and 2β, were observed. Both polymorphs exhibit D2 /H2 selectivity in the temperature range 30-100 K. At higher temperature (77 K), the D2 adsorption capacity of 2β increases to about 2.7 times that of 2α, along with a reasonable D2 /H2 selectivity. Gas sorption analysis and thermal desorption spectroscopy suggest a gate-opening effect of the MOCs pore aperture. This promotes KQS at temperatures above liquid nitrogen temperature, indicating that MOCs hold promise for hydrogen isotope separation in real industrial environments.

Imine- and Amine-Type Macrocycles Derived from Chiral Diamines and Aromatic Dialdehydes

The condensation of aromatic dialdehydes with chiral diamines, such as 1,2-trans-diaminocyclohexane, leads to various enantiopure or meso-type macrocyclic Schiff bases, including [2 + 2], [3 + 3], [4 + 4], [6 + 6] and [8 + 8] condensation products. Unlike most cases of macrocycle synthesis, the [3 + 3] macrocycles of this type are sometimes obtained in high yields by direct condensation without a metal template. Macrocycles of other sizes from this family can often be selectively obtained in high yields by a suitable choice of metal template, solvent, or chirality of the building blocks. In particular, the application of a cadmium(II) template results in the expansion of the [2 + 2] macrocycles into giant [6 + 6] and [8 + 8] macrocycles. These imine macrocycles can be reduced to the corresponding macrocyclic amines which can act as hosts for the binding of multiple cations or multiple anions.

Synthesis of [2+2] Schiff base macrocycles by a solvent templating strategy and halogen bonding directed assembly

Schiff base imine condensations are a useful tool for macrocycle synthesis and applications within supramolecular chemistry. Here we address the mixtures of products that can arise from template free synthesis using dicarbonylheterocycles and diamines, and look to develop metal-free template methods for selective macrocycle formation. A range of alkyl α,ω-diamines were combined with phenanthroline and pyridine heterocyclic dicarbaldehydes under standard literature conditions. The reaction conditions were modified to demonstrate a relationship between choice of solvent and product equilibria. It was observed that benzene and toluene could shift a mixture of products and unreacted starting materials to form predominantly one imine product for a number of systems. Once the macrocyclic products had been characterized in selected solvents, iodinated halogen bonding guest molecules were added to direct macrocycle assemblies using non-covalent interactions. Studies to investigate host – guest suitability and halogen bond interactions were conducted, and it was found that tetraiodoethylene had an influence on the formation of a phenanthroline based macrocycle. Proof of concept experiments were performed to show the influence of the guest molecule, tetraiodoethylene, on the macrocyclic products formed under competitive dynamic combinatorial chemistry conditions.

Controlling chirality in the synthesis of 4 + 4 diastereomeric amine macrocycles derived from trans-1,2-diaminocyclopentane and 2,6-diformylpyridine

A few suitably long dialdehyde and primary diamine building blocks of a predetermined chirality have been designed and synthesized to enable controlled and efficient synthesis of all six possible diastereomers of 4 + 4 macrocyclic amine derived from trans-1,2-diaminocyclopentane (DACP) and 2,6-diformypyridine (DFP) units. Although two out of six diastereomers have been reported recently, their synthesis presented here is more direct and occurs with an improved yield. This family of 4 + 4 macrocycles contains one pair of homochiral enantiomers of identical RRRRRRRR and SSSSSSSS configurations of DACP units, two different meso forms (meso I of alternating RRSSRRSS and meso II of neighboring RRRRSSSS configuration of DACP moieties) as well as one pair of heterochiral enantiomers, where configuration of one diamine fragment is opposite to the other three diamine parts, RRRRRRSS and SSSSSSRR, respectively. The structures of each type of macrocycle in solid state have been confirmed by single crystal analyses of a macrocyclic amine in its suitable protonated form. The different symmetry of each type of macrocycle in solutions has been proved by ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of their hydrochloride derivatives. The chiral nature of two different pairs of optically active enantiomers has been established by circular dichroism spectra. These chiral 4 + 4 diastereomeric macrocycles are receptors for chiral guests and recognize in solution 10-camphorsulfonic acid as well as chiral tartaric acid.

Regio- and stereoselective synthesis of spiropyrrolidine-oxindole and bis-spiropyrrolizidine-oxindole grafted macrocycles through [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides

A convenient and efficient method for the regioselective macrocyclization of triazole bridged spiropyrrolidine-oxindole, and bis-spiropyrrolizidine-oxindole derivatives was accomplished through intra and self-intermolecular [3 + 2] cycloaddition of azomethine ylides. The chalcone isatin precursors 9a-i required for the click reaction were obtained from the reaction of N-alkylazidoisatin 4 and propargyloxy chalcone 8a-i which in turn were obtained by the aldol condensation of propargyloxy salicylaldehyde 6 and substituted methyl ketones 7a-i. The regio- and stereochemical outcome of the cycloadducts were assigned based on 2D NMR and confirmed by single crystal XRD analysis. High efficiency, mild reaction conditions, high regio- and stereoselectivity, atom economy and operational simplicity are the exemplary advantages of the employed macrocyclization procedure.

Chiral metal-organic cages used as stationary phase for enantioseparations in capillary electrochromatography

Since some metal-organic cages (MOCs) have been synthesized in past several years, the applications of MOCs such as drug delivery, molecular recognition, separation, catalysis, and gas storage, etc. have been witnessed with a significant increase. However, to the best of our knowledge, so far no one has used MOCs as chiral stationary phase to separate chiral compounds in CEC. In this study, three MOCs were developed as the stationary phase for CEC separation of enantiomers. The MOCs coated capillary column showed good chiral recognition ability for some chiral compounds, including amine, alcohols, ketone, etc. The influence of buffer concentration, applied voltage, pH of buffer solution on the chiral separations was also investigated. The RSDs of run-to-run, day-to-day, and column-to-column for retention time were 2.1-4.67%, 1.2-4.36%, and 3.62-6.43%, respectively. This work reveals that the chiral MOCs material is feasible for the enantioseparation in CEC.

Mixed Macrocycles Derived from 2,6-Diformylpyridine and Opposite Enantiomers of trans-1,2-Diaminocyclopentane and trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane

The condensation reaction of 2,6-diformylpyridine with an equimolar mixture of opposite enantiomers of trans-1,2-diaminocyclopentane and trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane using a dynamic combinatorial chemistry approach has been examined. In nonmetal-templated reactions, depending on reaction conditions, mixed 2 + 1 + 1 macrocyclic imine or bigger mixed 4 + 2 + 2 imine macrocycle are formed selectively. The 2 + 1 + 1 imine used as a precursor in the templated by Cd^II ions produces a library of enlarged chiral mixed imines coordinated with metal cations among which the hexanuclear Cd^II complex of 6 + 3 + 3 imine was isolated and characterized. All macrocyclic imine compounds have been reduced to the corresponding macrocyclic amines, which have been further transformed into their hydrochlorides. Each macrocyclic compound has been obtained as two enantiomers. For imine macrocycles and for the hydrochloride derivatives of macrocyclic amines, their X-ray crystal structures have been determined. In particular, the crystals of protonated 4 + 2 + 2 macrocyclic amine, which contains two types of diastereomeric cations differing in terms of inverted twists of pyridine moieties, and hexanuclear Cd^II complex of 6 + 3 + 3 imine, which gives a deeper insight into the expansion reaction, have been investigated. A heterochiral self-sorting of 2 + 2 and 2 + 1 + 1 macrocyclic imines has been confirmed by a competition reaction of 2,6-diformylpyridine, racemic trans-1,2-diaminocyclopentane, and racemic trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and theoretical calculations.

Schiff-base macrocyclic ZnII complexes based upon flexible pendant-armed extended dialdehydes

This Frontier article reviews diverse structures of Schiff-base macrocyclic ZnII complexes derived from a family of flexible pendant-armed extended dialdehydes via a preorganized synthetic strategy and the corresponding structure-determining factors, including primary cationic template effects and secondary complementary template effects. In addition, further post-modification and supramolecular self-assembly of Schiff-base ZnII macrocycles and their possible applications in a variety of areas have been discussed.

Endo- and Exocyclic Coordination of a 20-Membered N2O2S2-Macrocycle and Cascade Complexation of a 40-Membered N4O4S4-Macrocycle

A 20-membered N₂O₂S₂-macrocycle (L¹) and a 40-membered N₄O₄S₄-macrocycle (L²) were employed as a [1:1] and a [2:2] cyclization product, respectively, for the preparation of diverse types of supramolecular complexes including a cascade complex. Six complexes (1-6) of the smaller macrocycle L¹ including discrete to continuous forms, mono- to heteronuclear, and endo- to exo- and endo/exocoordination were prepared and their coordination modes were discussed systemically. First, the reaction of L¹ with CuI in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid afforded an exocyclic 1-D coordination polymer {[(μ₄-Cu₄I₄)(HL¹)₂](CF₃COO)₂} _n (1). Meanwhile, the reaction of L¹ with Cu(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O afforded a typical endocyclic mononuclear complex [Cu^II(L¹)](ClO₄)₂·H₂O (2). In the reactions of L¹ with CdX₂ (X = Br and I), isostructural sandwich-type complexes [Cd(L¹)₂Br₂] (3) and [Cd(L¹)₂I₂] (4) were isolated. The treatment of L¹ with Hg(ClO₄)₂ also afforded a sandwich-type complex [Hg(L¹)₂](ClO₄)₂ (5). One-pot reaction of L¹ with a mixture of HgI₂ and CdI₂ afforded a dumbbell-type heteronuclear complex {[Cd(L¹)]₂(μ-Hg₂I₆)}[Hg₂I₆] (6), in which the Cd(II) ion occupies the macrocyclic cavity. Further, such two endocyclic Cd(II) complex units are bridged by a square-type (μ-Hg₂I₆)^2- cluster remaining another same cluster separately. The comparative NMR data exhibited a higher affinity of Cd(II) over Hg(II) toward L¹, in the parallel to the situation occurred in the solid state. Meanwhile, complexations of the extra-large macrocycle L² is more challenging to afford some interesting dimercury(II) coordination products including a cascade complex. In solution, the dimercury(II) perchlorato complex of L² as a metalloligand shows a preferential binding of dabco (1,4-diazabicyclo[2,2,2]octane), but its dimercury(II) iodo complex has a much smaller affinity for dabco. In order to explain these results, the solid dimercury(II) complexes with different anions [Hg₂(L²)X₄] (7: X = I, 8: X = ClO₄) were prepared and characterized. Further, the dimercury(II) perchlorato complex 8 reacts with dabco to forms a cascade complex [Hg₂(L²)(μ-dabco)(ClO₄)₂](ClO₄)₂·2DMF·2ether (9), exhibiting its formation being metal-driven and coordinated anion-regulated. The observed cascade complexation both in solution and solid states is an example of the adaptive guest binding.

Transmetalation for Flexible Pendant-Armed Schiff-Base Macrocyclic Complexes Influenced by Halide Effects

Three 46-membered [2 + 2] pendant-armed Schiff-base macrocyclic dinuclear Cd^II and Cu^II complexes (2a, 2b, and 3b) and one 23-membered [1 + 1] Cu^II macrocycle 4a were prepared from the template-directed condensation reactions between 1,2-bis(2-aminoethoxy)-ethane and extended Cl-dialdehyde in the presence of CdX₂ and CuX₂ (X = Cl and Br), in which halide effects play important roles in the organization of final macrocyclic complexes in addition to the dominant influence of metal cations. Transmetalation was intensively studied among these Cd^II and Cu^II complexes with large and flexible macrocyclic ligands, including two previously synthesized dinuclear Zn^II macrocycles (1a and 1b). Our results indicate that Zn^II → Cu^II and Cd^II → Cu^II transmetalation proceeds more quickly than that from Cd^II to Zn^II, and all the processes are found to be irreversible. It is noted that a [2 + 2] heterodinuclear Cd^IIZn^II macrocyclic intermediate could be detected by ESI-MS together with [2 + 2] homodinuclear Cd^II and Zn^II macrocyclic complexes. Furthermore, distinct halide behavior was observed in the in situ Cd^II → Cu^II and Zn^II → Cu^II metal-ion exchange. That is to say, [2 + 2] macrocycles (1a and 2a) could be converted to [1 + 1] macrocycles 4a and 4b under the reflux condition in the case of CuCl₂, accompanied by the configurational transformation from half-folded dinuclear Zn^II and Cd^II to unfolded Cu^II macrocyclic skeleton. In contrast, CuBr₂ leads to a highly efficient transmetalation to corresponding [2 + 2] dinuclear Cu^II complex 3b from both 1b and 2b no matter the experimental condition used.

Multinuclear Ni(ii), Cu(ii) and Zn(ii) complexes of chiral macrocyclic nonaazamine

Herein, we report the preparation and crystal structures of Ni(ii), Cu(ii) and Zn(ii) complexes. For both the Ni(ii) and Cu(ii) compounds, a magnetostructural correlation was established.

Synthesis of Spiroligomer-Containing Macrocycles

We demonstrate the synthesis and characterization of the solution conformations of a collection of functionalized spiroligomer-based macrocycles. These macrocycles contain 14 independently controllable stereocenters and four independently controllable functional groups on a highly preorganized scaffold. These molecules are being developed to display complex, preorganized surfaces for binding proteins and to create enzyme-like active sites. In this work, we demonstrate the convergent synthetic approach to this new class of macrocycles and demonstrate that the conformational properties of these molecules can be changed by altering the configuration stereocenters within the backbone.

Lanthanide(iii) and lead(ii) complexes of a chiral nonaaza macrocyclic amine based on 1,2-diaminocyclopentane

We report the synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and X-ray crystal structures of a series of helical complexes of a new chiral macrocycle based on diaminocyclopentane fragments. In the case of a Pb(ii) derivative the NMR data indicate a dynamic process corresponding to partial wrapping and unwrapping of the macrocycle resulting in the switching of the helix axis.

Asymmetric hydrosilylation of ketones catalyzed by complexes formed from trans-diaminocyclohexane-based diamines and diethylzinc

ABSTRACT

Chiral acyclic and macrocyclic amines derived from trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane in complexes with diethylzinc efficiently catalyze asymmetric hydrosilylation of aryl-alkyl and aryl-aryl ketones with enantiomeric excess of the product up to 86 %. A trianglamine ligand with a cyclic structure or the presence of an additional coordinating group increases the enantioselectivity of the reaction, in comparison with catalysis by a simple acyclic N,N'-dibenzyl-1,2-diaminocyclohexane ligand. In addition, the effect of the asymmetric activation of the catalyst by a variety of alcohols and diols is studied.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT