Selective Co‐Encapsulation Inside an M6L4 Cage

There is broad interest in molecular encapsulation as such systems can be utilized to stabilize guests, facilitate reactions inside a cavity, or give rise to energy‐transfer processes in a confined space. Detailed understanding of encapsulation events is required to facilitate functional molecular encapsulation. In this contribution, it is demonstrated that Ir and Rh‐Cp‐type metal complexes can be encapsulated inside a self‐assembled M₆L₄ metallocage only in the presence of an aromatic compound as a second guest. The individual guests are not encapsulated, suggesting that only the pair of guests can fill the void of the cage. Hence, selective co‐encapsulation is observed. This principle is demonstrated by co‐encapsulation of a variety of combinations of metal complexes and aromatic guests, leading to several ternary complexes. These experiments demonstrate that the efficiency of formation of the ternary complexes depends on the individual components. Moreover, selective exchange of the components is possible, leading to formation of the most favorable complex. Besides the obvious size effect, a charge‐transfer interaction may also contribute to this effect. Charge‐transfer bands are clearly observed by UV/Vis spectrophotometry. A change in the oxidation potential of the encapsulated electron donor also leads to a shift in the charge‐transfer energy bands. As expected, metal complexes with a higher oxidation potential give rise to a higher charge‐transfer energy and a larger hypsochromic shift in the UV/Vis spectrum. These subtle energy differences may potentially be used to control the binding and reactivity of the complexes bound in a confined space.     

A Versatile and Robust Vesicle Based on a Photocleavable Surfactant for Two‐Photon‐Tuned Release

A small amphiphile that contains a coumarin unit and alkynyl groups, as a two‐photon‐cleavable segment and polymerizable groups, respectively, was designed and synthesized. The amphiphile showed a critical aggregation concentration of about 4.6×10^?5 M and formed a vesicle‐type assembly. The formed vesicles were stabilized by in situ “click” polymerization without altering their morphology. Hydrophobic and hydrophilic guests can be encapsulated within the vesicle membrane and inside the aqueous core of the vesicle, respectively. The loaded guests can be released from the vesicle by using UV or near‐IR stimuli, through splitting up the amphiphilic structure of the amphiphile. Distinguished dose‐controlled photorelease of the polymeric vesicle is achieved with the maintenance of vesicular integrity, which makes the guest release dependent on the amount of cleavage of the amphiphilic structure during irradiation. This study provides a potential strategy for the development of versatile and stable drug‐delivery systems that offer sustained and photo‐triggered release.     

Recognition of N‐Alkyl and N‐Aryl Acetamides by N‐Alkyl Ammonium Resorcinarene Chlorides

N‐Alkyl ammonium resorcinarene chlorides are stabilized by an intricate array of intra‐ and intermolecular hydrogen bonds that leads to cavitand‐like structures. Depending on the upper‐rim substituents, self‐inclusion was observed in solution and in the solid state. The self‐inclusion can be disrupted at higher temperatures, whereas in the presence of small guests the self‐included dimers spontaneously reorganize to 1:1 host–guest complexes. These host compounds show an interesting ability to bind a series of N‐alkyl acetamide guests through intermolecular hydrogen bonds involving the carbonyl oxygen (C?O) atoms and the amide (NH) groups of the guests, the chloride anions (Cl^?) and ammonium (NH₂⁺) cations of the hosts, and also through CH ??? π interactions between the hosts and guests. The self‐included and host–guest complexes were studied by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, NMR titration, and mass spectrometry.     

Embedding and Positioning of Two FeII4L4 Cages in Supramolecular Tripeptide Gels for Selective Chemical Segregation

An unreported d,l ‐tripeptide self‐assembled into gels that embedded Fe^II₄L₄ metal–organic cages to form materials that were characterized by TEM, EDX, Raman spectroscopy, rheometry, UV/Vis and NMR spectroscopy, and circular dichroism. The cage type and concentration modulated gel viscoelasticity, and thus the diffusion rate of molecular guests through the nanostructured matrix, as gauged by ¹⁹F and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. When two different cages were added to spatially separated gel layers, the gel–cage composite material enabled the spatial segregation of a mixture of guests that diffused into the gel. Each cage selectively encapsulated its preferred guest during diffusion. We thus present a new strategy for using nested supramolecular interactions to enable the separation of small molecules.     

Clam‐like Cyclotricatechylene‐based Capsules: Identifying the Roles of Protonation State and Guests as well as the Drivers for Stability and (Anti‐)Cooperativity

Cyclotricatechylene (ctcH₆) is a bowl‐shaped macrocyclic compound that can be used as a building block for self‐assembled capsules. ctcH₆ and its derivatives in various protonation states – here collectively labeled as CTC – form dimers that resemble the shape of a clam. These clam‐shaped entities have been studied experimentally by Abrahams, Robson, and co‐workers [B. F. Abrahams, N. J. FitzGerald, T. A. Hudson, R. Robson and T. Waters, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2009 , 48, 3129–3132] where the capsules acted as an excellent host for large alkali‐metal cations. In this study, we present a detailed analysis based on accurate dispersion‐corrected Density Functional Theory approaches that reveals the factors that stabilise such CTC‐based capsules at different protonation states and their interaction with various encapsulated guests. Our results show that the capsules’ overall stability results as an interplay of hydrogen bonding, London dispersion, and electrostatic effects. The most stable capsules with group‐1 and group‐2 cations as guests contain only six phenolic hydrogens, as opposed to the maximum possible number of twelve. Inclusion of larger alkali‐metal cations is favoured due to larger London‐dispersion contributions. Cations are favoured as guests over isoelectronic neutral species, as the resulting host‐guest complexes experience additional stability due to cooperative effects. In fact, using the latter to drive the formation of specific capsules could be used in future strategies aimed at synthesising similar aggregates; our results provide an insightful understanding and useful guidance for such future endeavours.     

A Novel Inorganic Clathrate Generated through Arene‐Arene Interactions

The direct mixing of CoCl₂, sodium 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylate (Na₂(2,6‐pda)), KSCN, and 1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethane (bpye) in water at the ambient temperature afforded purple crystals readily. The crystal structure, as determined by X‐ray diffraction crystallography, consists of discrete inorganic [Co₂(η³‐2,6‐pda)₂(μ‐SCN)₂(H₂O)₂] and organic bpye molecules. Adjacent dicobalt molecules are connected via intermolecular hydrogen bonds, to form one‐dimensional hydrophobic channels in the solid state, which serve as a host framework to incarcerate bpye guests inside. Every organic molecule attaches to four adjacent inorganic species via arene‐arene interactions. The facile approach in assembling the dicobalt and bpye molecules together into an inorganic clathrate is demonstrated.     

A Doubly Alkynylpyrene‐Threaded [4]Rotaxane That Exhibits Strong Circularly Polarized Luminescence from the Spatially Restricted Excimer

The Sonogashira coupling of γ‐CD‐encapsulated alkynylpyrenes with terphenyl‐type stopper molecules gave a doubly alkynylpyrene‐threaded [4]rotaxane. The rotaxane showed only excimer emission, with a high fluorescence quantum yield of Φ_f=0.37, arising from the spatially restricted excimer within the cavity of the γ‐CD. The excimer emission suffered little from self‐quenching up to a concentration of 1.5×10^?5 M and was circularly polarized with a high g_lum value of ?1.5×10^?2. The strong circularly polarized luminescence may result from the two stacked pyrenes existing in the rotaxane in an asymmetrically twisted manner.     

Encapsulation with the Protrusion of Cruciform 9,10‐Bis(arylethynyl)anthracene Derivatives in a Self‐Assembled Boronic Ester Cavitand Capsule: Photochemical and Photophysical Properties

The self‐assembled boronic ester cavitand capsule 3 quantitatively and tightly encapsulates 2,6‐diacetoxy‐9,10‐bis(arylethynyl)anthracene derivatives 4 a – 4 c as highly fluorescent cruciform guests to form complexes 4 a @ 3 , 4 b @ 3 , and 4 c @( 3 )₂. The structural features of capsule 3 , which possesses two polar bowl‐shaped aromatic cavity ends and four large equatorial windows connected by dynamic boronic ester bonds, made it possible to encapsulate cruciform 4 with protection of the reactive anthracene core inside the capsule and with two protruding arylethynyl groups, the π‐conjugated arms of compound 4 , through two of the equatorial windows of the capsule. Thus, complexes 4 a @ 3 , 4 b @ 3 , and 4 c @( 3 )₂ show greater resistance to photochemical reactions in solution and fluorescence quenching in the powder state compared to free guests 4 . In addition to the improved photostability, restriction of the free rotation of the arylethynyl groups of guests 4 upon encapsulation results in sharpening of the UV/Vis absorption peaks with a red‐shift and a significant increase in some of the two‐photon‐absorption peaks of complexes 4 a @ 3 , 4 b @ 3 , and 4 c @( 3 )₂ compared with free guests 4 .     

Tuning the Intercage Distance in Charge-Regulated Blackberry-Type Assemblies through Host–Guest Chemistry

Charged or neutral adamantane guests can be encapsulated into the cavity of cationic metal–organic M₆L₄ (bpy-cage, M=Pd^II(2,2′-bipyridine), L=2,4,6-tri(4-pyridyl)-1,3,5-triazine) cages through hydrophobic interaction. These encapsulations can provide an approach to control the net charge on the resulting cage–guest complexes and regulate their charge-dominated assembly into hollow spherical blackberry-type assemblies in dilute solutions: encapsulation of neutral guests will hardly influence their self-assembly process, including the blackberry structure size, which is directly related to the intercage distance in the assembly; whereas encapsulating negatively (positively) charged guests resulted in a shorter (longer) intercage distance with larger (smaller) assemblies formed. Therefore, the host–guest chemistry approach can be used to tune the intercage distance accurately.     

Guest Binding Drives Host Redistribution in Libraries of CoII4L4 Cages

Two Co^II₄L₄ tetrahedral cages prepared from similar building blocks showed contrasting host–guest properties. One cage did not bind guests, whereas the second encapsulated a series of anions, due to electronic and geometric effects. When the building blocks of both cages were present during self‐assembly, a library of five Co^II L^A _x L^B _4?x cages was formed in a statistical ratio in the absence of guests. Upon incorporation of anions able to interact preferentially with some library members, the products obtained were redistributed in favor of the best anion binders. To quantify the magnitudes of these templation effects, ESI‐MS was used to gauge the effect of each template upon library redistribution.     

Concerted Bimetallic Nanocluster Synthesis and Encapsulation via Induced Zeolite Framework Demetallation for Shape and Substrate Selective Heterogeneous Catalysis

Bimetallic nanoparticle encapsulation in microporous zeolite crystals is a promising route for producing catalysts with unprecedented reaction selectivities. Herein, a novel synthetic approach was developed to produce PtZn_x nanoclusters encapsulated inside zeolite micropores by introducing Pt²⁺ cations into a zincosilicate framework via ion exchange, and subsequent controlled demetallation and alloying with framework Zn. The resulting zeolites featured nanoclusters with sizes of approximately 1 nm, having an interatomic structure corresponding to a PtZn_x alloy as confirmed by pair distribution function (PDF) analysis. These materials featured simultaneous shape and substrate specificity demonstrated by the selective production of p‐chloroaniline from the competitive hydrogenation of p‐chloronitrobenzene and 1,3‐dimethyl‐5‐nitrobenzene.     

Wide‐Ranging Host Capability of a PdII‐Linked M2L4 Molecular Capsule with an Anthracene Shell

This article reports that an M₂L₄ molecular capsule is capable of encapsulating various neutral molecules in quantitative yields. The capsule was obtained as a single product by mixing a small number of components; two Pd^II ions and four bent bispyridine ligands containing two anthracene panels. Detailed studies of the host capability of the Pd^II‐linked capsule revealed that spherical (e.g., paracyclophane, adamantanes, and fullerene C₆₀), planar (e.g., pyrenes and triphenylene), and bowl‐shaped molecules (e.g., corannulene) were encapsulated in the large spherical cavity, giving rise to 1:1 and 1:2 host–guest complexes, respectively. The volume of the encapsulated guest molecules ranged from 190 to 490 ų. Within the capsule, the planar guests adopt a stacked‐dimer structure and the bowl‐shaped guests formed an unprecedented concave‐to‐concave capsular structure, which are fully shielded by the anthracene shell. Competitive binding experiments of the capsule with a set of the planar guests established a preferential binding series for pyrenes≈phenanthrene>triphenylene. Furthermore, the capsule showed the selective formation of an unusual ternary complex in the case of triphenylene and corannulene.     

High Diastereoselection of a Dissymmetric Capsule by Chiral Guest Complexation

Encapsulation of chiral guests in the dissymmetric capsule 1?4 BF₄ formed diastereomeric supramolecular complexes G ? 1?4 BF₄ ( G : guest). When chiral guests 2 a – q were encapsulated within the dissymmetric space of the self‐assembled capsule 1?4 BF₄, circular dichroism (CD) was observed at the absorption bands that are characteristic of the π–π* transition of the bipyridine moiety of the capsule, which suggests that the P and M helicities of the capsule are biased by the chiral guest complexation. The P helicity of diastereomeric complex (S)‐ 2 l ? 1?4 BF₄ was determined to be predominant, based on CD exciton coupling theory and DFT calculations. The diastereoselectivity was highly influenced by the ester substituents, such that benzyl ester moieties were good for improving the diastereoselectivity. A diastereomeric excess of 98 % was achieved upon the complexation of 2 j . The relative enthalpic and entropic components for the distereoselectivity were obtained from a van’t Hoff plot. The enthalpic components were linearly correlated with the substituent Hammett parameters (σ_p⁺). The electron‐rich benzyl ester moieties generated donor–acceptor π–π stacking interactions with the bipyridine moiety, which resulted in a significant difference in energy between the predominant and subordinate diastereomeric complexes.     

Ferrocenyl amphiphilic Janus dendrimers as redox‐responsive micellar carriers

Amphiphilic Janus dendrimers have attracted increasing attention due to their asymmetric structures and various functional properties compared to the conventional symmetric macromolecules. Herein, a novel ferrocenyl‐terminated amphiphilic Janus dendrimer containing nine hydrophilic triethylene glycol branches was synthesized by two synthetic routes, namely the typical chemo selective coupling method and the mixed modular approach. Chemical redox triggers, namely Fe₂(SO₄)₃ as oxidant and ascorbic acid as reductant, could regulate the self‐assembly behavior of the Janus dendrimer in water through the redox‐switching between ferrocene and ferricinium cations, and the change of micelles formed were investigated and confirmed through scanning electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The cargo‐loading property of the micelles self‐assembled by the Janus dendrimer was further proved by the successful fabrication of Rhodamine B (RhB)‐loaded micelles, and the oxidation‐triggered release behavior of the encapsulated RhB could be mediated by changing the concentration of oxidants. This work provides an effective approach to prepare ferrocenyl‐terminated amphiphilic Janus dendrimers and the self‐assembled micelles might be used as a promising molecular carrier in areas such as drug delivery and catalysis.     

Amphiphilic Inclusion Spaces for Various Guests and Regulation of Fluorescence Intensity of 1,8‐Bis(4‐aminophenyl)anthracene Crystals

A host framework for inclusion of various guest molecules was investigated by preparation of inclusion crystals of 1,8‐bis(4‐aminophenyl)anthracene (1,8‐BAPA) with organic solvents. X‐ray crystallographic analysis revealed construction of the same inclusion space incorporating 1,8‐BAPA and eight guest molecules including both non‐polar (benzene) and polar guests (N,N‐dimethylformamide, DMF). Fluorescence efficiencies varied depending on guest molecule polarity; DMF inclusion crystals exhibited the highest fluorescence intensity (Φ_F=0.40), four times as high as that of a benzene inclusion crystal (Φ_F=0.10). According to systematic investigations of inclusion phenomena, strong host–guest interactions and filling of the inclusion space led to a high fluorescence intensity. Temperature‐dependent fluorescence spectral measurements revealed these factors effectively immobilised the host framework. Although hydrogen bonding commonly decreases fluorescence intensity, the present study demonstrated that such strong interactions provide excellent conditions for fluorescence enhancement. Thus, this remarkable behaviour has potential application toward sensing of highly polar molecules, such as biogenic compounds.     

Bismaleimides Having Electron‐Donating Chromophore Moieties: A New Approach Toward Monitoring the Process of Curing Based on Their Fluorescence Behavior

Bismaleimides having electron‐donating diphenylmethylamine or triphenylamine moieties (A₍₌₎‐D_(*)‐A₍₌₎), as well as their saturated model compounds were synthesized. Their fluorescence behavior was found to show a strong fluorescence structural self‐quenching effect (SSQE). On the basis of this strong SSQE of A₍₌₎‐D_(*)‐A₍₌₎ bismaleimides, a new fluorescence approach can be developed to monitor the curing process in bismaleimide resins, which is in agreement with the results from FT‐IR and ¹H NMR analyses.     

Maximizing Coordination Capsule–Guest Polar Interactions in Apolar Solvents Reveals Significant Binding

Guest encapsulation underpins the functional properties of self‐assembled capsules yet identifying systems capable of strongly binding small organic molecules in solution remains a challenge. Most coordination capsules rely on the hydrophobic effect to ensure effective solution‐phase association. In contrast, we show that using non‐interacting anions in apolar solvents can maximize favorable interactions between a cationic Pd₂L₄ host and charge‐neutral guests resulting in a dramatic increase in binding strength. With quinone‐type guests, association constants in excess of 10⁸ m ^?1 were observed, comparable to the highest previously recorded constant for a metallosupramolecular capsule. Modulation of optoelectronic properties of the guests was also observed, with encapsulation either changing or switching‐on luminescence not present in the bulk phase.     

Aurophilicity-Mediated Construction of Emissive Porous Molecular Crystals as Versatile Hosts for Liquid and Solid Guests

The first examples of porous molecular crystals that are assembled through Au⋅⋅⋅Au interactions of gold complex 1 are here reported along with their exchange properties with respect to their guest components. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses indicate that the crystal structure of 1 /CH₂Cl₂⋅pentane is based on cyclic hexamers of 1 , which are formed through six Au⋅⋅⋅Au interactions. The packing of these cyclic hexamers affords a porous architecture, in which the one-dimensional channel segment contains CH₂Cl₂ and pentane as guests. These guests can be exchanged through operationally simple methods under retention of the host framework of 1 , which furnished 1 /guest complexes with 26 different guests. A single-crystal XRD analysis of 1 /eicosane, which contains the long linear alkane eicosane (n-C₂₀H₄₂), successfully provided its accurately modeled structure within the porous material. These host–guest complexes show chromic luminescence with both blue- and redshifted emissions. Moreover, this porous organometallic material can exhibit luminescent mechanochromism through release of guests.     

Fullerene–Coumarin Dyad as a Selective Metal Receptor: Synthesis,Photophysical Properties,Electrochemistry and Ion Binding Studies

A coumarin derivative with a malonate unit has been synthesized and used for the preparation of a fullerene–coumarin dyad through the Bingel cyclopropanation method. The newly synthesized dyad is soluble in organic solvents and has been fully characterized with traditional spectroscopic techniques. Electronic interactions between the two components of the dyad were probed with the aid of UV/Vis spectroscopy, fluorescence emission, and electrochemistry measurements. Our studies clearly show the presence of electronic interactions between C₆₀ and modified coumarin in the ground state; efficient electron‐transfer quenching of the singlet excited state of the coumarin moiety by the appended fullerene sphere was also observed. Time‐resolved fluorescence measurements revealed lifetimes for the coumarin–C₆₀ dyad at a maximum of 50 ps, while the quantum yield was reaching unity. Additionally, the redox potentials of the C₆₀–coumarin dyad were determined and the energetics of the electron‐transfer processes were evaluated. Finally, after alkaline treatment of C₆₀–coumarin, which resulted in the deprotection of carboxylate units, the dyad was tested as a metal receptor for divalent metal cations; ion competition studies and fluorescence experiments showed binding selectivity for lead ions.