Frozen Dissymmetric Cavities in Resorcinarene‐Based Coordination Capsules

By introducing slight structural modifications to a D₄‐symmetric coordination capsule, we succeeded in isolating the nearly enantiopure capsules (P)‐ and (M)‐ 2 a (BF₄)₄. Chiral guest, dibenzyl 4,4′‐diacetoxy‐6,6′‐dimethyl‐[1,1′‐biphenyl]‐2,2′‐dicarboxylate ( 3 ) was encapsulated within the dissymmetric cavity of 2 a (BF₄)₄, resulting in a high diastereoselectivity of >99 % de. The encapsulated guest was successfully removed from the complex without racemization through precipitation of the empty capsule. CD spectra confirmed that the chirality of the capsule was maintained in THF and 1,4‐dioxane for long periods, whereas a small amount of acetonitrile accelerated racemization of the empty capsule. The activation parameters of the racemization reaction were determined in dichloromethane and 1,2‐dichloroethane, resulting in positive enthalpic contributions and large negative entropic contributions, respectively. Accordingly, the racemization fits a first‐order kinetic model. Mechanically coupled Cu⁺‐2,2′‐bipyridine coordination centers were responsible for the high‐energy barrier of racemization and led to the unique chiral memory of the dissymmetric cavity, which was turned off by the addition of acetonitrile.     

Chiral Encapsulation by Directional Interactions

The complexation of chiral guests in the cavity of dimeric self‐assembled chiral capsule 1 ₂ was studied by using NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray crystallography. Capsule 1 ₂ has walls composed of amino acid backbones forming numerous directional binding sites that are arranged in a chiral manner. The polar character of the interior dictates the encapsulation preferences towards hydrophilic guests and the ability of the capsule to extract guests from water into an organic phase. Chiral discrimination towards hydroxy acids was evaluated by using association constants and competition experiments, and moderate de values were observed (up to 59 %). Complexes with one or two guest molecules in the cavity were formed. For 1:1 complexes, solvent molecules are coencapsulated; this influences guest dynamics and makes the chiral recognition solvent dependent. Reversal of the preferences can be induced by coencapsulation of a nonchiral solvent in the chiral internal environment. For complexes with two guests, filling of the capsule’s internal space can be very effective and packing coefficients of up to 70 % can be reached. The X‐ray crystal structure of complex 1 ₂?((S) ‐6 )₂ with well‐resolved guest molecules reveals a recognition motif that is based on an extensive system of hydrogen bonds. The optimal arrangement of interactions with the alternating positively and negatively charged groups of the capsule’s walls is fulfilled by the guest carboxylic groups acting simultaneously as hydrogen‐bond donors and acceptors. An additional guest molecule interacting externally with the capsule reveals a possible entrance mechanism involving a polar gate. In solution, the structural features and dynamic behavior of the D₄‐symmetric homochiral capsule were analyzed by variable‐temperature NMR spectroscopy and the results were compared with those for the S₈‐symmetric heterochiral capsule.     

Host–guest complexation of antioxidative caffeic and ferulic acid amides with a functionalized cyclophane

Host?guest complexation has been studied by ¹H NMR on the benzyl and phenethyl amides of ferulic and caffeic acids as the guests in chloroform and acetonitrile; the counter host is a cyclophane which integrates four phenylene rings, amino and amide groups in the macrocyclic framework and bears four pendant methyl acetate ester arms. CAPE, one of the best known natural antioxidants, also has been studied for comparison. Among the guests studied, ferulic acid benzyl amide shows NMR shifts due to the formation of a host?guest complex in chloroform. The complexation occurs in two steps with the formation constants K ₁?=?[HG]/[H][G]?=?6?M^?1 and β ₂?=?[HG₂]/[H][G]²?=?87?M^?2. Two guest molecules are bound on the surface of the macrocyclic framework of a host molecule by two hydrogen bonds, NH(host amide)···O=C(guest amide) and C=O(host ester)···HO(guest phenol). The latter hydrogen bond may protect the bioactive site, i.e., phenol OH, of guest molecules captured in the complex against undesirable oxidation. This feature is observed only for ferulic acid benzyl amide in chloroform; the cyclophane ester interacts with this amide, distinctively from the other hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives.     

Supramolecular Graft Copolymerization of a Polyester by Guest‐Selective Encapsulation of a Self‐Assembled Capsule

Repeating guest units of polyesters poly‐(R )‐ 2 were selectively encapsulated by capsule 1 (BF₄)₄ to produce supramolecular graft polymers. The encapsulation of the guest units was confirmed by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The graft polymer structures were confirmed by the increase in the hydrodynamic radii and the solution viscosities of the polyesters upon complexation of the capsule. After the capsule was formed, atomic force microscopy showed extension of the polyester chains. The introduction of the graft chains onto poly‐(R )‐ 2 resulted in the main chain of the polymer having an M ‐helical morphology. The complexation of copolymers poly‐[(R )‐ 2 ‐co ‐(S )‐ 2 ] by the capsule gave rise to the unique chiral amplification known as the majority‐rules effect.     

Chiral softballs: synthesis and molecular recognition properties.

Studies on the different congeners of the softball were undertaken to explore structural variants for enantioselective encapsulation. Two different spacer elements in the monomeric subunit render the dimeric softball chiral although the monomer itself is achiral. The dimers represent capsules with dissymmetric cavities with volumes ranging from 190 to 390 A(3). The cavities are distorted spheres, and asymmetric guests, such as naturally occurring terpenes, generally prefer one enantiomer of the capsule to its mirror image. The selectivities are moderate (up to 4:1). The complexation studies show that the host capsules are flexible enough to arrange themselves comfortably around a guest but still maintain enough rigidity to be influenced by the occupancy of a chiral guest. The enantiomeric capsules can interconvert (racemize) by dissociation and recombination of their subunits.     

Self‐Assembled Boronic Ester Cavitand Capsules with Various Bis(catechol) Linkers: Cavity‐Expanded and Chiral Capsules

Two molecules of cavitand tetraboronic acid and four molecules of various bis(catechol) linkers self‐assemble into capsules through the formation of eight dynamic boronic ester bonds. Each capsule has a different cavity size depending on the linker used, and shows particular guest encapsulation selectivity. A chiral capsule made up of the cavitand and a chiral bis(catechol) linker was also constructed. This capsule induces supramolecular chirality with respect to a prochiral biphenyl guest by diastereomeric encapsulation through the asymmetric suppression of rotation around the axis of the prochiral biphenyl moiety.     

Structural Elucidation of the Mechanism of Molecular Recognition in Chiral Crystalline Sponges

To gain insight into chiral recognition in porous materials we have prepared a family of fourth generation chiral metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) that have rigid frameworks and adaptable (flexible) pores. The previously reported parent material, [Co₂(S‐mandelate)₂(4,4′‐bipyridine)₃](NO₃)₂, CMOM‐ 1S , is a modular MOF; five new variants in which counterions (BF₄^?, CMOM‐ 2S ) or mandelate ligands are substituted (2‐Cl, CMOM‐ 11R ; 3‐Cl, CMOM‐ 21R ; 4‐Cl, CMOM‐ 31R ; 4‐CH₃, CMOM‐ 41R ) and the existing CF₃SO₃^? variant CMOM‐ 3S are studied herein. Fine‐tuning of pore size, shape, and chemistry afforded a series of distinct host–guest binding sites with variable chiral separation properties with respect to three structural isomers of phenylpropanol. Structural analysis of the resulting crystalline sponge phases revealed that host–guest interactions, guest–guest interactions, and pore adaptability collectively determine chiral discrimination.     

ITC and NMR analysis of the encapsulation of fatty acids within a water-soluble cavitand and its dimeric capsule

We report here NMR and Isothermal Titration Calorimetry studies of the binding of ionisable guests (carboxylate acids) to a deep-cavity cavitand. These studies reveal that the shortest guests favoured 1:1 complex formation, but the longer the alkyl chain the more the 2:1 host-guest capsule is favoured. For intermediate-sized guests, the equilibrium between these two states is controlled by pH; at low values the capsule containing the carboxylic acid guest is favoured, whereas as the pH is raised deprotonation of the guest favours the 1:1 complex. Interestingly, for one host–guest pair the energy required to decap the 2:1 capsular complex and form the 1:1 complex is sufficient to shift the pK_a of the guest by ~3–4 orders of magnitude (4.1–5.4 kcal mol^?1). The two largest guests examined form stable 2:1 capsules, with in both cases the guest adopting a relatively high energy J-shaped motif. Furthermore, these 2:1 complexes are sufficiently stable that at high pH guest deprotonation occurs without decapping of the capsule.     

Chiral Photochemistry in a Confined Space: Torquoselective Photoelectrocyclization of Pyridones within an Achiral Hydrophobic Capsule

Chiral induction during the photoelectrocyclization of pyridones included within octa acid (OA) capsule has been established. Chiral induction is brought about by a chiral auxiliary appended to the reactive pyridone moiety. Importantly, the same chiral auxiliary while ineffective in acetonitrile solution is found to be effective within the confined space of OA capsule. The diastereomeric excess of 92% obtained here is comparable only to that in solid state. OA capsule, we believe, provides restriction to the rotational motions of the reactant pyridone and chiral auxiliary and thus places the chiral auxiliary in a selective conformation with respect to the reactive pyridone part. A correlation between the position of the methyl group on the pyridone ring and diastereoselectivity was noted. Structures of the host-guest complexes were examined by ¹H NMR and the data were used to obtain preliminary information concerning the mechanism of chiral induction within the confined spaces of OA capsule.     

Multivalent C−H⋅⋅⋅Cl/Br−C Interactions Directing the Resolution of Dynamic and Twisted Capsules

In this work, we report a mechanism by which stereoisomeric and twisted capsules P/M- 1 direct their dynamic chirality in the presence of haloalkane guests. The capsule comprises a static, but twisted, cage that is linked to a dynamic tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA) lid at its top. From the results of experimental (NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography) and computational (DFT) studies, the TPA lid was shown to assume clockwise (+) and counterclockwise (−) folds with diastereomeric (but racemic) capsules M- 1 (+) and M- 1 (−) interconverting at a rapid rate (ΔG^≠_189K=9.1 kcal mol⁻¹). The relative stability of the capsules was found to be a function of guest(s) residing in their interior (243/262 ų) with small CH₂Cl₂ (61 ų) yielding roughly equal population of diastereomeric inclusion complexes. Larger guests, such as CCl₄ (89 ų) and CBr₄ (108 ų), however, formed M- 1 (−)⊂CX₄ at the expense of M- 1 (+)⊂CX₄ in circa 3:1 ratio. To account for the observation, theory (DFT:M06-2X/6–31+G*) and experiments (¹H NMR spectroscopy) were used to deduce that CX₄ guests become localized inside the twisted cage of the capsule by forming a C−X⋅⋅⋅π halogen bond [N_c=d/(r_H+r_X)=0.91–0.92] with the benzene “floor” while encountering electrostatic repulsions with closer naphthalimide boundaries. At last, the TPA lid used its central methylene hydrogens to establish, within the M- 1 (−)⊂CX₄, three stabilizing C−H⋅⋅⋅X−C interactions with the guest. The same C−H⋅⋅⋅X−C interactions, however, became weaker (or possibly vanished) after the conformational reorganization of the lid and the formation of less stable M- 1 (+)⊂CX₄ complex. On individual basis, C−H⋅⋅⋅X−C intermolecular contacts are weak and hardly detectable in the solution phase. In the case of capsule P/M- 1 , however, these contacts were multivalent and altogether strong enough to direct the host's dynamic chirality.     

Intermolecular complexation thermodynamics between water-soluble calix[4]arenes and diazacycloalkanes

Calorimetric titration experiments have been performed in pH 2.0 and 7.2 phosphate buffer solutions at 298.15 K to calculate the complex stability constants (K_S) and thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, and TΔS°) for the stoichiometric 1:1 inclusion complexation of water-soluble calix[4]arene tetrasulfonate (CAS) and thiacalix[4]arene tetrasulfonate (TCAS) with some diazacycloalkane guests, i.e. piperazine (1), homopiperazine (2) and 1,5-diazacyclooctane (3). The results indicated that complexes of CAS and TCAS with diazacycloalkane guests were enthalpy-stabilized, and an acidic environment was more favorable to host-guest complexation than a neutral one. CAS forms more stable complexes with guest molecules than TCAS due to the more favorable enthalpic gain.     

Simultaneously bound guests and chiral recognition: a chiral self-assembled supramolecular host encapsulates hydrophobic guests

Driven by the hydrophobic effect, a water-soluble, chiral, self-assembled supramolecular host is able to encapsulate hydrophobic organic guests in aqueous solution. Small aromatics can be encapsulated in the supramolecular assembly, and the simultaneous encapsulation of multiple species is observed in many cases. The molecular host assembly is able to recognize different substitutional isomers of disubstituted benzenes with ortho substitution leading to the encapsulation of two guests, but meta or para substitution leading to the encapsulation of only one guest. The scope of hydrophobic guest encapsulation is further explored with chiral natural products. Upon encapsulation of chiral molecules into the racemic host, diastereomeric host-guest complexes are formed with observed diastereoselectivities of up to 78:22 in the case of fenchone.     

Chiral discrimination of a helically organized crown ether array parallel to the helix axis of polyisocyanate

The asymmetric polymerization of 4′‐isocyanatobenzo‐18‐crown‐6 with the lithium amide of (S)‐(2‐methoxymethyl)pyrrolidine successfully proceeded to afford end‐functionalized poly(4′‐isocyanatobenzo‐18‐crown‐6) with (S)‐(2‐methoxymethyl)pyrrolidine (polymer 2 ). In the circular dichroism (CD) spectrum of 2 , a clear positive Cotton effect was observed in the range of 240–350 nm corresponding to the absorption of the polymer backbone, indicating that 2 partially formed a one‐handed helical structure, which was preserved by the chirality of (S)‐(2‐methoxymethyl)pyrrolidine bonding to the terminal end in 2 . In the titration experiments for the CD intensity of 2 in the presence of D ‐ and L ‐Phe·HClO₄ (where Phe is phenylalanine), a small but remarkable difference was observed in the amount of the chiral guest needed for saturation of the CD intensity and in the saturated CD intensity, indicating that the extremely stable, one‐handed helical part should exist in the main chain of 2 , which was not inverted even when the unfavorable chiral guest for the predominant helical sense, L ‐Phe·HClO₄, was added. In addition, helical polymer 2 exhibited a chiral discrimination ability toward racemic guests; that is, the guests were extracted from the aqueous phase into the organic phase with enantiomeric excess. The driving force of the chiral discrimination ability of 2 should certainly be attributed to the one‐handed helical structure in 2 . © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 325–334, 2006     

Alignment and Dynamic Inversion of Planar Chirality in Pillar[n]arenes

Pillar[n]arenes are symmetrical macrocyclic compounds composed of benzene panels with para-methylene linkages. Each panel usually exhibits planar chirality and prefers chirality-aligned states. Because of this feature, pillar[n]arenes are attractive scaffolds for chiroptical materials that are easy to prepare and optically resolve and show intense circular dichroism (CD) signals. In addition, rotation of the panels endows the chirality of pillar[n]arenes with a dynamic nature. The chirality in tubular oligomers and supramolecular assemblies sometimes show time- and procedure-dependent alignment phenomena. Furthermore, the CD signals of some pillar[n]arenes respond to the addition of chiral guests when their dynamic chirality is coupled with host–guest properties. By using diastereomeric pillar[n]arenes with additional chiral structures, the response can also be caused by achiral guests and changes of the environment, providing molecular sensors.     

六～八元瓜环与三种N-苄基取代笼状客体的相互作用

合成了3种具有对不同瓜环选择性各异的双探针N-苄基取代笼状客体, 它们分别是N-苄基六次甲基四胺盐酸盐(1), N-苄基喹啉环啶盐酸盐(2), N-苄基-1,4-二氮杂双环[2.2.1]辛烷盐酸盐(3), 利用¹H NMR和MS等方法对这些客体进行了表征. ¹H NMR显示, 六元瓜环仅对这些客体的苄基探针部分具有选择性作用, 形成作用比为1∶1的不对称包结配合物; 七元瓜环对客体1和3的苄基探针部分具有选择性作用, 形成作用比为1∶1的不对称包结配合物, 而对客体2的笼状奎宁环啶基部分具有选择性作用, 也形成作用比为1∶1的包结配合物; 八元瓜环也仅对这些客体的苄基探针部分具有选择性作用, 形成作用比为1∶2的对称包结配合物.     

Determination of enantiomeric excess for organic primary amine compounds by chiral recognition fast-atom bombardment mass spectrometry

Enantiomeric excess (ee) of organic primary amine compounds such as phenylglycine methyl ester hydrochloride (2) has been determined by fast-atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry (NBA matrix). Chiral recognition in host–guest complexation systems between crown ethers [H] and amino acid ester ammonium ions [G] has been extended to the ee determination. The method characteristically uses a 1/1 mixture of a pair of enantiomeric hosts whose enantiomer is isotopically labeled [(RRRR)-1 and (SSSS)-1-d₆]. Chiral recognition of a given guest is simply measured with the given host–pair reagent from the relative peak intensities of the two corresponding diastereomeric host–guest complex ions in I[(H_RRRR · G)⁺]/I[(H_SSSS-d6 · G)⁺ = I_R/I_S-d6, so called IRIS value. The IRIS value varies in a linear fashion with the ee quantitiy of 2 and produces a symmetric linear V-shaped plot, indicating that in the case of a primary amine guest (such as 2) with unknown ee, one can determine the ee by this type of chiral recognition FAB mass spectometry. Further, based on the observed concentration effects on the IRIS values, it is suggested that the present IRIS value reflects the concentration ratio of the diastereomeric complex ions formed in the matrix.     

Significance of charge‐dipolar moiety interaction: Computational study of cyanospherands

Cyanospherands (CN‐spherands) are highly preorganized hosts which bind cations. Density functional theory calculations were used to investigate the complexation between cyanospherands and alkali metal ions (Li⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺). CN8‐spherand undergoes significant shape change upon complexation, i.e., the oval free host becomes spherical when complexed with cations. All cationic guests prefer external binding to encapsulation in spite of spherically well organized charged moieties and the spacious cavity of hosts. The ion‐dipolar moiety interaction has been found to be a decisive factor for the preference for external binding. This demonstrates the importance of ion‐dipolar moiety orientations as well as the host‐guest size complementarity, to design novel ionophores. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008     

Grob-type fragmentation of 5-oxabicyclo[2.1.1]hexane system: a strategy for synthesis of annulated and 2,2,5-trisubstituted tetrahydrofurans

Acid mediated, efficient Grob-type fragmentation reaction facilitated by vicinal ketal and ester moieties in variety of 5-oxabicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes leading to the corresponding annulated and 2,2,5-trisubstituted tetrahydrofurans is reported. Among the Brønsted and Lewis acids tested, BF₃·OEt₂ appears to give the best results, furnishing near quantitative yield (>99%) of tetrahydrofuran tricarboxylate derivatives under mild reaction condition. In case of unsymmetrical monosubstituted 5-oxabicyclo[2.1.1]hexanes two regioisomeric products are obtained. A strategy to transform one of the ester groups of the title compounds to protected hydroxymethyl moiety was evolved, which allows access to differentially protected 2-hydroxymethyl THF derivatives upon fragmentation. Employing TiCl₄/R or S-BINOL as chiral Lewis acid, an enantioselective fragmentation (up to 66% ee) was described for the meso bis-furan derivative.     

Cavitand‐Based Pd‐Pyridyl Coordination Capsules: Guest‐Induced Homo‐ or Heterocapsule Selection and Applications of Homocapsules to the Protection of a Photosensitive Guest and Chiral Capsule Formation

A 2 : 4 mixture of tetrakis[4‐(4‐pyridyl)phenyl]cavitand ( 1 ) or tetrakis[4‐(4‐pyridyl)phenylethynyl]cavitand ( 2 ) and Pd(dppp)(OTf)₂ self‐assembles into a homocapsule { 1 ₂ ? [Pd(dppp)]₄}⁸⁺ ? (TfO^?)₈ ( C1 ) or { 2 ₂ ? [Pd(dppp)]₄}⁸⁺ ? (TfO^?)₈ ( C2 ), respectively, through Pd?Npy coordination bonds. A 1 : 1 : 4 mixture of 1 , 2 , and Pd(dppp)(OTf)₂ produced a mixture of homocapsules C1 , C2 , and a heterocapsule { 1 ? 2 ? [Pd(dppp)]₄}⁸⁺ ? (TfO^?)₈ ( C3 ) in a 1 : 1 : 0.98 mole ratio. Selective formation (self‐sorting) of homocapsules C1 and C2 or heterocapsule C3 was controlled by guest‐induced encapsulation under thermodynamic control. Applications of Pd?Npy coordination capsules with the use of 1 were demonstrated. Capsule C1 serves as a guard nanocontainer for trans‐4,4′‐diacetoxyazobenzene to protect against the trans‐to‐cis photoisomerization by encapsulation. A chiral capsule { 1 ₂ ? [Pd((R)‐BINAP)]₄}⁸⁺ ? (TfO^?)₈ ( C5 ) was also constructed. Capsule C5 induces supramolecular chirality with respect to prochiral 2,2′‐bis(alkoxycarbonyl)‐4,4′‐bis(1‐propynyl)biphenyls by diastereomeric encapsulation through the asymmetric suppression of rotation around the axis of the prochiral biphenyl moiety.