Expanding the library of sumanene molecular receptors for caesium-selective potentiometric sensors

This paper reports the synthesis and characterization of eight sumanene molecular receptors for the selective recognition of caesium cations (Cs+). The sumanene derivatives differed in the number (from one to nine), type (electron donating or electron withdrawing) and method of the attachment (functionalization of sumanene at the benzylic or aromatic carbons) of substituents in the sumanene skeleton. The ultimate goal of this work was to investigate the prospective use of various sumanene derivatives in the design of Cs+-selective potentiometric sensors, thus, expanding the library of sumanene receptors for such applications. Spectroscopic fluorescence titration with caesium hexafluorophosphate revealed that the formation of sandwich complexes is highly favourable, but the steric hindrance of bulky substituents can disrupt this preference. In the case of triaryl-substituted sumanene derivatives, theoretical calculations show that, indeed, sandwich complexes are energetically more advantageous by 2.3 times than 1 : 1 complexes. Furthermore, such functionalization significantly increases receptor solubility in the polymeric membrane of the potentiometric sensors, which was quantitatively evaluated with the COSMO model.

CIPDB: A biological structure databank for studying cation and π interactions

As major forces for modulating protein folding and molecular recognition, cation and π interactions are extensively identified in protein structures. They are even more competitive than hydrogen bonds in molecular recognition, thus, are vital in numerous biological processes. In this review, we introduce the methods for the identification and quantification of cation and π interactions, provide insights into the characteristics of cation and π interactions in the natural state, and reveal their biological function together with our developed database (Cation and π Interaction in Protein Data Bank; CIPDB; http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/database/CIPDB). This review lays the foundation for the in-depth study of cation and π interactions and will guide the use of molecular design for drug discovery.

Tuning the sumanene receptor structure towards the development of potentiometric sensors

Herein, we report for the first time the application of a sumanene derivative in potentiometric recognition of caesium cations. The structure of the sumanene receptor was carefully tuned to obtain its compatibility with polyvinyl chloride plasticized membranes of potentiometric sensors. The developed ion-selective electrodes based on membranes doped with octyloxybenzene sumanene exhibited a near theoretical sensitivity towards caesium cations, with a detection limit of 4 μM Cs⁺.

Curvature and size effects hinder halogen bonds with extended π systems

The curvature of aromatic systems strengthens the interaction by the concave face while it weakens by the convex one. Parallel structures are favoured over halogen bonded ones.

On the Nature of σ-σ, σ-π, and π-π Stacking in Extended Systems

Stacking interactions have been evaluated, employing computational methods, in dimers formed by analogous aliphatic and aromatic species of increasing size. Changes in stability as the systems become larger are mostly controlled by the balance of increasing repulsion and dispersion contributions, while electrostatics plays a secondary but relevant role. The interaction energy increases as the size of the system grows, but it does much faster in π-π dimers than in σ-π complexes and more remarkably than in σ-σ dimers. The main factor behind the larger stability of aromatic dimers compared to complexes containing aliphatic molecules is related to changes in the properties of the aromatic systems due to electron delocalization leading to larger dispersion contributions. Besides, an extra stabilization in π-π complexes is due to the softening of the repulsive wall in aromatic species that allows the molecules to come closer.

Sumanene: an efficient π-bowl for dihydrogen storage

The outstanding ability of sumanene, its anionic and dianionic forms and sumanene–M⁺ion-pair complexes (M = Li, Na, K) to bind dihydrogen has been revealed using density functional theory calculations pointing out that these systems could be employed for developing new H₂storage systems.

Concave binding of cationic Li to quadrannulene

Concave binding of cationic Li to quadrannulene and its influence on buckybowl functionalization are introduced using DFT calculations.