A Nanoporous Supramolecular Metal-Organic Framework Based on a Nucleotide: Interplay of the π···π Interactions Directing Assembly and Geometric Matching of Aromatic Tails

Self-assembly is the most powerful force for creating ordered supramolecular architectures from simple components under mild conditions. π···π stacking interactions have been widely explored in modern supramolecular chemistry as an attractive reversible noncovalent tool for the nondestructive fabrication of materials for different applications. Here, we report on the self-assembly of cytidine 5’-monophosphate (CMP) nucleotide and copper metal ions for the preparation of a rare nanoporous supramolecular metal-organic framework in water. π···π stacking interactions involving the aromatic groups of the ancillary 2,2’-bipyridine (bipy) ligands drive the self-assemblies of hexameric pseudo-amphiphilic [Cu6(bipy)6(CMP)2(µ-O)Br4]²⁺ units. Owing to the supramolecular geometric matching between the aromatic tails, a nanoporous crystalline phase with hydrophobic and hydrophilic chiral pores of 1.2 and 0.8 nanometers, respectively, was successfully synthesized. The encoded chiral information, contained on the enantiopure building blocks, is transferred to the final supramolecular structure, assembled in the very unusual topology 8T6. These kinds of materials, owing to chiral channels with chiral active sites from ribose moieties, where the enantioselective recognition can occur, are, in principle, good candidates to carry out efficient separation of enantiomers, better than traditional inorganic and organic porous materials.

Calcium-induced reversible assembly of phosphorylated amphiphile within lipid bilayer membranes

Inspired by calcium-induced reversible assembly and disassembly of membrane proteins found in nature, here we developed a phosphorylated amphiphile (PA) that contains an oligo(phenylene-ethynylene) unit as a hydrophobic unit and a phosphate ester group as a hydrophilic calcium-binding unit. We demonstrated that PA can assemble and disassemble in a reversible manner in response to the sequential addition of calcium chloride and ethylene-diaminetetraacetic acid within the lipid bilayer membranes for the first time as a synthetic molecule.

The first X-ray structure of a silver–nucleotide complex: interaction of ion Ag(i) with cytidine-5′-monophosphate

The synthesis and X-ray characterization of an unprecedented complex of Ag(i) with cytidine-5′-monophosphate (HCMP) is reported. The coordination of Ag(i) to HCMP is via both the N3 and O2 atoms of two cytosine moieties and the phosphate group, generating a MOF.

ESI-MS studies of the non-covalent interactions between biologically important metal ions and N-sulfonylcytosine derivatives

The aim of this report is to present the electrospray ionization mass spectrometry results of the non-covalent interaction of two biologically active ligands, N-1-(p-toluenesulfonyl)cytosine, 1-TsC, 1 and N-1-methanesulfonylcytosine, 1-MsC, 2 and their Cu(II) complexes Cu(1-TsC-N3)₂ Cl₂ , 3 and Cu(1-MsC-N3)₂ Cl₂ and 4 with biologically important cations: Na⁺ , K⁺ , Ca²⁺ , Mg²⁺ and Zn²⁺ . The formation of various complex metal ions was observed. The alkali metals Na⁺ and K⁺ formed clusters because of electrostatic interactions. Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ salts produced the tris ligand and mixed ligand complexes. The interaction of Zn²⁺ with 1-4 produced monometal and dimetal Zn²⁺ complexes as a result of the affinity of Zn²⁺ ions toward both O and N atoms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Homochiral self-assembly of biocoordination polymers: anion-triggered helicity and absolute configuration inversion

The different natures of the weakly coordinating anions - triflate or perchlorate - in the Cu2+-mediated self-assembly of cytidine monophosphate nucleotide play a fundamental role in the homochiral resolution process, yielding one-dimensional copper(ii) coordination polymers of opposite helicity that can be easily inverted, in a reversible way, by changing the nature of the anion as revealed by circular dichroism experiments both in solution and in the solid state.