An asymmetric cryptand for the site-specific coordination of 3d metals in multiple oxidation states

Bis-tren (tren = tris(2-aminoethyl)amine) azacryptands were previously studied profoundly for the coordination of two +II metals and subsequent binding of substrates within their cavity. Likewise, cryptates including metals in different oxidations states were reported with the rather unstable hexa-imine analogues but also revealed only little stability. In this work, we report the synthesis of an asymmetric hexa-amine cryptand analogue by selectively exchanging three of the secondary amines of one binding site with sulphur atoms. We show that the presence of two distinct binding sites allows for the selective formation of stable dinuclear complexes of metals with different oxidation numbers and present the formation of distinct Cu^ICo^II, Cu^INi^II and Cu^ICuI^II cryptates.

Syntheses and evaluation of new hydrophilic azacryptands used as masking agents of technetium in solvent extraction processes

The extraction of technetium, present in nitric acid medium as pertechnetate anion, is an issue in solvent extraction processes used to recover uranium and plutonium. In the present study, a complexing agent is added in the aqueous nitric acid solution to bind selectively the pertechnetate anion and prevent its extraction into the organic phase or to back extract it in the aqueous phase. Several azacryptands with the addition of hydrophilic groups were synthesized to improve the solubility of the previously studied cage molecule in nitric acid medium. Solvent extraction tests reveal that all the synthesized ligands have a similar complexation strength towards pertechnetate and are able to maintain this anion in the aqueous phase (0.5 M HNO3). These ligands are able to overcome the Hofmeister bias and selectively bind technetium in nitric acid solution. The azacryptand concentration can be increased by a factor of three in the liquid-liquid extraction conditions compared to our previous work. Coordination studies using microcalorimetry, Single Crystal X-Ray Diffraction (SC-XRD), infrared and Raman spectroscopies show the formation of an inclusion complex with hydrogen bonds stabilizing the oxo-anion within the cavity. This solubility improvement is promising for the introduction of this kind of macrocyclic azacryptands in a solvent extraction process.

A bistren cryptand with a remote thioether function: Cu(ii) complexation in solution and on the surface of gold nanostars

A di-copper(ii) complex is formed in a bis-tren cage featuring a thioether function, capable of grafting on a monolayer of gold nanostars.

Bistren cryptands and cryptates: versatile receptors for anion inclusion and recognition in water

Bistren cryptands can be easily synthesised through the Schiff base condensation of two molecules of tren and three molecules of a dialdehyde, followed by hydrogenation of the six C=N double bonds to give octamine cages, whose ellipsoidal cavity can be varied at will, by choosing the appropriate dialdehyde, in order to include substrates of varying sizes and shapes. Bistrens can operate as effective anion receptors in two ways: (i) in their protonated form, providing six secondary ammonium groups capable of establishing hydrogen bonding interactions with the anion; (ii) as dicopper(II) cryptates, in which the two coordinatively unsaturated metal centres can be bridged by an ambidentate anion. Representative examples of the two approaches, as well as the design of an anion molecular dispenser, in which a dicopper(II) bistren cryptate acts as a bottle will be illustrated.