A Class of Heptaphyrins with NIR Absorption Modulated by Metal Coordination and Nucleophilic Substitution

The intensive interest in expanded porphyrins can be attributed to their appealing photoelectric and coordination behavior. In this work, an N-confused heptaphyrin 1 was synthesized by an acid-catalyzed [3+4] condensation reaction. The introduction of an N-confused pyrrolic unit into the heptaphyrin macrocycle led to the formation of a figure-eight-like conformation with nonsymmetrical "NNNN" and "NNNC" coordination cavities employable for bimetallic coordination. As a result, chelation of 1 with Zn(II) and Cu(II) afforded mono-Zn(II) complex 2 and bis-Cu(II) complex 3, respectively, with the metal atoms exhibiting distorted square-planar geometries. In complex 3, an oxygen atom is attached to the α-C atom of N-confused pyrrole D, and thus the N and C atoms of ring D participate in coordination within the two cavities. Interestingly, treatment of 1 with Cs2CO3 in MeOH resulted in regioselective substitution of all the seven para-F atoms in the meso-C6F5 groups as well as the α-H of ring D by eight methoxy moieties. Complex 3 displays a red-shifted absorption band edge of ca. 2200 nm, compared to that of ca. 1600 nm observed for 1. This work provides an example of incorporating an N-confused pyrrole to construct expanded porphyrins with distinctive coordination behavior and tunable NIR absorption.

Roles of Metal Ions in Foldamers and Other Conformationally Flexible Supramolecular Systems

Conformational control is a key prerequisite for much molecular function. As chemists seek to create complex molecules that have applications beyond the academic laboratory, correct spatial positioning is critical. This is particularly true of flexible systems. Conformationally flexible molecules show potential because they resemble in many cases naturally occurring analogues such as the secondary structures found in proteins and peptides such as α-helices and β-sheets. One of the ways in which conformation can be controlled in these molecules is through interaction with or coordination to metal ions. This review explores how secondary structure (i.e., controlled local conformation) in foldamers and other conformationally flexible systems can be enforced or modified through coordination to metal ions. We hope to provide examples that illustrate the power of metal ions to influence this structure toward multiple different outcomes.

Chain Length Modulated Dimerization and Cyclization of Terminal Thienyl-Blocked Oligopyrranes

Oxidation of thienyl-blocked bilane and pentapyrrane afforded chain length dependent products of the symmetric dimer D1 and the thienyloligopyrrin-appended pentaphyrin analogue P2, respectively, with the latter formed by simultaneous dimerization and cyclization. Coordination of D1 and P2 with Cu(II) afforded di- and monometallic complexes D1-Cu2 and P2-Cu, respectively. These compounds exhibit distinct NIR absorption, with the absorption tail of D1-Cu2 extended to ca. 1900 nm despite its smaller conjugation framework than that of P2-Cu.

Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of Helical Bis-Cu(II) Complex of Linear Hexapyrrolic Ligand

The chemistry of metal helical complexes has attracted wide interest not only because of their resemblance with DNA structure but also due to their unique photophysical and chiroptical properties. Linear hexapyrrolic ligand 1 has been designed and synthesized using 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY as a key precursor. The reactivity of the appended pyrrole group of 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY was taken as an advantage to synthesize bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) by treating 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY with 10 equiv of acetone in CHCl₃ under acid-catalyzed conditions and afforded bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) 2 in 20% yield. Bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) 2, in which two 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY units were connected via sp³ meso carbon, was very stable, and its identity was confirmed by HR-MS, NMR, and X-ray crystallographic analysis. The X-ray structure revealed that the 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY moieties in bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) 2 remained almost planar and arranged at an angle of 98.4° with each other, leading to a V-shaped conformation. In the next step, bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) 2 was treated with AlCl₃ in acetonitrile/methanol at reflux to afford hexapyrrolic ligand 1. Hexapyrrolic ligand 1 was treated with CuCl₂ in acetonitrile at room temp for 1 h followed by crystallization to afford helical bis-Cu(II) complex 1-Cu. Bis-Cu(II) complex 1-Cu was characterized and studied by HR-MS, X-ray crystallography, ESR, absorption, and DFT/TD-DFT techniques. The X-ray structure revealed that the bis-Cu(II) complex was a double-stranded bimetallic helicate and each Cu(II) ion was coordinated to four nitrogen atoms of two dipyrrin units from two hexapyrrolic ligands in a distorted tetrahedral geometry. The crystal packing diagram showed that the bis-Cu(II) complex formed as a racemic mixture containing both M and P isomers which was unable to isolate. The ESR spectrum of bis-Cu(II) complex 1-Cu indicated the presence of two noninteracting Cu(II) ions in slightly different coordination environments. DFT and TD-DFT studies were in agreement with the experimental observations of bis(3-pyrrolyl BODIPY) 2 complex and bis-Cu(II) complex 1-Cu.

Bis-Palladium Complex of α-Benzimidazole 9-Pyrrolyl Dipyrromethene: Synthesis, Structure, and Spectral and Catalytic Properties

A new ligand is designed and synthesized in two steps starting from α-formyl 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY. In the first step, the α-formyl 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY was condensed with 1,2-diaminobenzene in toluene at reflux and afforded α-benzimidazole 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY in 16% yield. In the second step, α-benzimidazole 3-pyrrolyl BODIPY was decomplexed upon being treated with Lewis acid AlCl₃ and afforded the desired ligand α-benzimidazole 9-pyrrolyl dipyrromethene. However, the ligand was not very stable and reacted further with PdCl₂ in CH₃CN for 1 h at reflux followed by recrystallization and afforded a novel bis-palladium complex of α-benzimidazole 9-pyrrolyl dipyrromethene in 36% yield. The bis-palladium complex was characterized and studied by high-resolution mass spectrometry, one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray crystallography, absorption, and density functional theory/time-dependent DFT (DFT/TD-DFT) studies. The X-ray structure revealed that two ligands and two Pd(II) ions were involved in forming a unique complex in which each Pd(II) ion was coordinated to three pyrrole N atoms of the first ligand and the benzimidazole N atom of the second ligand in a distorted square planar geometry. The absorption spectrum of the bis-palladium complex shows ill-defined, broad, and less intense bands in the region of 345-425 nm along with split bands in the higher-wavelength region of 600-630 nm. The bis-palladium complex was nonfluorescent, and the results of DFT/TD-DFT studies were in agreement with the experimental observations. The preliminary studies indicated that the bis-palladium complex can act as an efficient catalyst for coupling different aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid.

Stereochemistry and chiroptical properties of bimetallic single helicates of hexapyrrole-α, ω-dicarbaldimines with high diastereoselectivity

Bimetallic complexes of hexapyrrole-[Formula: see text],[Formula: see text]-dicarbaldimines consisting of a pair of four-coordinate metal sites adopt a helical closed [Formula: see text]-symmetric form or sigmoidal open forms depending on whether the 2,2[Formula: see text]-bipyrrole subunit at the center of the hexapyrrole chain takes cis- or trans-conformation. X-ray crystallography of a bisNi complex having N-[([Formula: see text]-1-cyclohexylethyl]carbaldimine units at both ends of the hexapyrrole chain revealed a non-symmetric heterohelical open form where the metal coordination sites of opposite helical sense sit on opposite sides of the central 2,2[Formula: see text]-bipyrrole subunit. BisPd complexes preferred a closed [Formula: see text] form and a steric bulk at the 3,3[Formula: see text]-position of the 2,2[Formula: see text]-bipyrrole subunit improved the helical sense bias. A bisPd complex with N-[([Formula: see text]-1-cyclohexylethyl]carbaldimine units adopts a helical closed [Formula: see text] form exclusively with full bias for a [Formula: see text]-helical sense. These bimetallic single stranded helicates were reversibly oxidized to [Formula: see text]-cation radicals at 0.1[Formula: see text]0.3 V vs. a ferrocene/ferrocenium couple and spectroelectrochemistry revealed remarkable absorption and CD spectral changes in the Vis-NIR region.

Synthetic Applications of Oxidative Aromatic Coupling-From Biphenols to Nanographenes

Oxidative aromatic coupling occupies a fundamental place in the modern chemistry of aromatic compounds. It is a method of choice for the assembly of large and bewildering architectures. Considerable effort was also devoted to applications of the Scholl reaction for the synthesis of chiral biphenols and natural products. The ability to form biaryl linkages without any prefunctionalization provides an efficient pathway to many complex structures. Although the chemistry of this process is only now becoming fully understood, this reaction continues to both fascinate and challenge researchers. This is especially true for heterocoupling, that is, oxidative aromatic coupling with the chemoselective formation of a C-C bond between two different arenes. Analysis of the progress achieved in this field since 2013 reveals that many groups have contributed by pushing the boundary of structural possibilities, expanding into surface-assisted (cyclo)dehydrogenation, and developing new reagents.

Tripyrrin-armed isosmaragdyrins: synthesis, heterodinuclear coordination, and protonation-triggered helical inversion

Oxidative ring closure of linear oligopyrroles is one of the synthetic approaches to novel porphyrinoids with dinuclear coordination sites and helical chirality. The spatial arrangement of the pyrrolic groups of octapyrrole (P8) affected the position of the intramolecular oxidative coupling of the pyrrolic units; tripyrrin-armed isosmaragdyrin analogue (1) containing a β,β-linked bipyrrole moiety was synthesized regioselectively in a high yield by using FeCl₃. Ni^II-coordination at the armed tripyrrin site of 1 allowed the formation of diastereomeric helical twisted complexes (2A and 2B) and succeeding Cu^II-coordination at the macrocyclic core afforded heterodinuclear Ni^II/Cu^II-complexes (3A and 3B). Each of them comprised a pair of separable enantiomers, exhibiting P- and M-helices, respectively. Notably, diastereomeric interconversion from 2A to 2B was quantitatively achieved as a consequence of helical transformation under acidic conditions.

Conformational Changes and Redox Properties of Bimetallic Single Helicates of Hexapyrrole-α,ω-dicarbaldehydes

The hexapyrrole-α,ω-dicarbaldehydes 1 a and 1 b were metallated with Cu^II , Ni^II , and Pd^II to give bimetallic complexes where a pair of 3 N+O four-coordinate metal planes are helically distorted and the central 2,2'-bipyrrole subunit adopts a cis or trans conformation. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the bisCu complex revealed a closed form with a cis-2,2'-bipyrrole subunit and an open form with a trans-2,2'-bipyrrole subunit. The bisPd complexes took a closed form both in the solid state and in solution. They are regarded as single helicates of two turns and the energy barrier for the interchange between an M helix and a P helix was remarkably influenced by the bulky 3,3'-substituent of the central 2,2'-bipyrrole subunit. Although the bisNi complexes adopt a closed form in the solid state, they exist as a homohelical open C₂ -symmetric form or a heterohelical open C_i -symmetric form in solution. A theoretical study suggested that the closed form of 1 aPd was stabilized by the Pd-Pd interaction. Compound 1 aPd was reversibly oxidized by one electron at 0.14 V versus ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc⁺ ) and this oxidized species showed Vis/NIR absorption bands at λ=767 and 1408 nm.

Switch-ON Near IR Fluorescent Dye Upon Protonation: Helically Twisted Bis(Boron Difluoride) Complex of π-Extended Corrorin

A novel helically twisted π-extended corrorin derivative having two boron dipyrrin (BODIPY) moieties at the periphery, a BODIPY DYEmer (6-BF₂ ) cross-bridged with π-conjugated dipyrrinylidene unit, was synthesized and characterized. The neutral 6-BF₂ is nonfluorescent due to the internal photoinduced charge transfer (CT) character in the excited state as inferred from the femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. However, upon protonation, the CT process is suppressed and the species H6-BF₂⁺ becomes near infrared (IR) emissive. With the aid of rigid helical conformations in 6-BF₂ , the helical isomers (P- and M-forms) were resolved and their chiroptical property was investigated. The distinct circular dichroism (CD) spectral changes of the enantiomers were observed in the presence of acids, which demonstrates that 6-BF₂ can be utilized for potential acid-responsive chiroptical materials.

Stable 5,5'-Substituted 2,2'-Bipyrroles: Building Blocks for Macrocyclic and Materials Chemistry

The preparation and characterization of a family of stable 2,2'-bipyrroles substituted at positions 5 and 5' with thienyl, phenyl, TMS-ethynyl, and vinyl groups is reported herein. The synthesis of these new bipyrroles comprises three steps: formation of the corresponding 5,5'-unsubstituted bipyrrole, bromination, and Stille or Suzuki coupling. The best results in the coupling are obtained using the Stille reaction under microwave irradiation. The new compounds have been fully characterized by UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, and IR spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. X-ray single-crystal analysis of four of the synthesized bipyrroles indicates a trans coplanar geometry of the pyrrole rings. Furthermore, the substituents at positions 5,5' remain coplanar to the central rings. This particular geometry extends the π-conjugation of the systems, which is in agreement with a red-shifting observed for the λ_max of the substituted molecules compared to the unsubstituted bipyrrole. All of these new compounds display a moderate fluorescence. In contrast with unsubstituted bipyrroles, these bipyrroles are endowed with a high chemical and thermal stability and solubility in organic solvents.

Pyrrole N-H Anion Complexes

Synthetic pyrrole-based anion receptors date back to the 1990s. They have been extensively developed in the context of macrocyclic systems as expanded porphyrins and calixpyrroles, and related systems. The chemistry of open-chain pyrrolic systems is, in many respects, no less venerable. It also has more direct analogy to naturally occurring pyrrole-based anion binding motifs. However, it has not been the subject of a comprehensive review. Presented herein is a summary of efforts devoted to the creation of de novo pyrrole-based receptors, as well as the anion recognition chemistry of naturally occurring pyrrolic systems as prodigiosins and their synthetic analogues.

Novel, linear oligoisoindole compounds with a conjugated electronic structure

Novel, linear, conjugated oligoisoindole compounds have been synthesized and characterized, adding new members to the oligoisoindole functional molecular family.

2,2'-Bipyrrole-Based Porphyrinoids

A large number of porphyrinoids containing 2,2'-bipyrrole subunits have appeared since they were originally found as a component of sapphyrin and corrole, and it was found that the bipyrrole subunit endowed macrocycles with specific geometric features and electronic properties. Synthetic methods for bipyrrole-containing precursors for porphyrinoid are summarized in this review; these include coupling reactions of pyrrole rings, pyrrole ring-forming reactions leading directly to bipyrrole units, and synthetic reactions for oligopyrrolic compounds. Some hybrid oligopyrroles having nonpyrrole (hetero)aromatic ring(s) are also included. This review also describes porphyrinoids composed of bipyrrole subunits. Interesting electronic properties derived from strong cyclo-π-conjugation are highlighted in the bipyrrole-based porphyrinoids with or without meso-like carbons. Anion-binding chemistry is one of the main topics for bipyrrole-based macrocycles with less efficient or deficient cyclo-π-conjugation, such as those linked with electronically localized aromatic ring(s), with sp³ carbon(s), and with amido or imine connection(s). The principal concern in this review is porphyrinoids of relatively large ring size, composed of more than five units of pyrroles and (hetero)aromatic substitutes in total, and so bipyrrole-based porphyrinoids up to five pyrrolic units, such as corroles, porphycenes, sapphyrins, and smaragdyrin, will not be covered here except for some special cases.

Tetra- and Octapyrroles Synthesized from Confusion and Fusion Approaches

By oxidation of an alternately N-confused bilane in CH₂Cl₂, a C-N fused tetrapyrrin was synthesized that bears a 5.5.5-tricyclic ring generated from an intramolecular C-N linkage. When CH₃CN was used as the reaction medium, a multiply C-N-fused octapyrrolic dimer was also obtained that contained two 5.5.5.7.5-pentacyclic moieties and a bipyrrole unit generated from the intramolecular C-N linkage and intermolecular C-C linkage, respectively. This could be coordinated with Ni(acac)₂ to afford a mixed-ligand complex.