Stepwise synthesis and selective dimerisation of bis- and trisloop tetra-urea calix[4]arenes

Tetra-urea calix[4]arenes substituted with four mono- or bisalkenyl residues have been converted into bis- or tetraloop compounds by intramolecular olefin metathesis, with use of a tetratosylurea calix[4]arene as template. The same strategy has now been used to synthesise trisloop compounds and bisloop compounds with adjacent loops, completing the series of the loop-containing tetra-urea derivatives. A tetra-urea calix[4]arene of the AABB type, where A stands for a bisalkenyl- and B for a monoalkenyl-substituted urea unit, was used as precursor for the three loops. It was easily synthesised from a tetraamino calix[4]arene in which two adjacent amino groups were Boc-protected. The ABCB-type precursor for the two adjacent loops was prepared through protection of two opposite amino functions with trityl groups. The capabilities of the novel macrocyclic tetra-ureas for the selective formation of hydrogen-bonded dimers were studied.     

Hydrogen-Bonded Dimeric Capsules with Appended Spiropyran Units: Towards Controlled Cargo Release

We report the synthesis of unprecedented tetra-urea derivatives of calix[4]arene and calix[4]pyrrole containing four spiropyran (SP) units at their upper rim. We investigate the photo- and acid-induced isomerization of the monomeric and homo-dimeric tetra-ureas derivatives using UV-Vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopies. At micromolar concentration, irradiation of the samples with 365 nm light induces changes in their absorption spectra that are consistent with SP→merocyanine (MC) isomerization. However, analogous experiments at millimolar concentration do not produce noticeable changes in the ¹H NMR spectra. The addition of triflic acid to micromolar and millimolar solutions of the tetra-ureas produces the quantitative isomerization of the SP units to the protonated merocyanine form (E-MCH⁺) and the simultaneous disassembly of the capsular dimers to form ill-defined aggregates. The neutralization of the acid solutions resets the SP form. Under these acid/base treatment conditions, the controlled release of the included guest and the reassembly of the all-SP tetra-urea dimers occurs at different extents depending on its calix[4]arene or calix[4]pyrrole scaffold.     

Functional modification,self-assembly and application of calix[4]resorcinarenes

As a special subset of calix[4]arene, calix[4]resorcinarene is an excellent molecular platform which could be modified by introducing functional groups to multiple sites at the upper and lower rims. There are mainly three ways to build functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives: (1) modification on the C-2 sites of calix[4]resorcinarenes; (2) modification on the phenolic hydroxyl groups of calix[4]resorcinarenes; (3) modification on the bridging methylenes at lower rim of calix[4]resorcinarenes. Functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives play an important role in the development of self-assembly chemistry, among which hydrogen bonding and metal coordination are the two most common interactions to obtain multicomponent structures. Moreover, due to the excellent topological structures and various active substituents of functionalized calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives, their applications in various fields, such as nanoparticles, catalysts, fluorescent materials, and sensors, have been briefly presented in this paper.

     

Self-assembled dendrimers with uniform structure

Calix[4]arenes substituted at their wide rim by four aryl urea residues (1) form hydrogen-bonded dimers in apolar solvents. Replacement of one urea residue by an acetamido moiety leads to calix[4]arene derivatives (5) which form hydrogen-bonded tetramers under the same conditions. Both self-assembly processes occur independently. Therefore, molecules have been prepared in which a tetra-urea calix[4]arene and a tri-urea mono acetamide derivative are covalently connected between their narrow rims by a long, mainly aliphatic chain [-O-(CH(2))(n)-C(O)-NH-(CH(2))(m)-O-] (7). In the presence of an equimolar amount of tetra-tosyl urea calix[4]arene () they form dendritic assemblies since the well known heterodimerization of tetra-tosyl and tetra-aryl urea calix[4]arenes prevents the formation of a cross-linked structure. Covalent connection of adjacent urea residues leads to tetra-loop derivatives (3) that cannot form homodimers, but instead form heterodimers with tetra-aryl or tetra-tosylureas. Therefore, similar dendrimers should be available using the selective dimerization observed for 3. The formation of a single, structurally uniform dendrimer from eight building blocks is confirmed by (1)H NMR spectra, showing only peaks that are also found for respective model assemblies. Translational diffusion coefficients of the assemblies have been determined using (1)H DOSY NMR.     

A sulfonated calix[4]resorcinarene with α-methyl-l-prolinylmethyl groups as a water-soluble chiral NMR solvating agent

A water-soluble calix[4]resorcinarene containing α-methyl-l-prolinylmethyl groups was investigated as a chiral NMR solvating agent. Substrates form complexes by insertion of the aromatic ring into the cavity of the calix[4]resorcinarene. Amino acid derivatives with phenyl or indole rings, ammonium substrates with pyridyl, indane or dihydroindole rings, and phenyl-containing substrates with carboxylic acid and/or hydroxyl groups were studied. The effectiveness of the α-methyl-l-prolinylmethyl calix[4]resorcinarene is compared to similar reagents with proline and hydroxyproline moieties that have previously been reported. The α-methyl-l-prolinylmethyl derivative causes larger enantiomeric discrimination of one or more ¹H resonances than the previous systems for most of the substrates.     

间苯二酚杯芳烃树枝醇类化合物的合成

用间苯二酚杯芳烃的氧代乙酸乙酯类衍生物1a～1b分别与三羟甲基甲胺和二乙醇胺在乙醇/甲苯中进行酰胺化反应, 合成了四种新型的间苯二酚杯芳烃树枝醇化合物2a～2d, 树枝醇2a～2d外缘的羟基用乙酸酐酯化, 得到全乙酰基衍生物3a～3d. 化合物结构都用¹H NMR, IR和元素分析等方法进行了表征, 对树枝醇化合物的聚集状态进行了光学显微镜观察.     

Synthesis of New Calix[4]arenes Functionalizated by Acetylhydrazide Groups

A series of new calix[4]phenols, calix[4]resorcinols and calix[4]pyrogallols with acetylhydrazide substitutes has been␣synthesized with high yields by hydrazinolysis of ester group containing calix[4]arenes. The synthesized calix[4]phenols adopt the cone conformation while the calix[4]resorcinol and calix[4]pyrogallol derivatives prefer the boat conformation. The amide fragment of the hydrazide groups predominantly exists in the trans-conformation. The binding ability of synthesized calix[4]arenes toward transition and alkali metals by solvent extraction has been investigated.     

Preferred dimerization of tetra-tolyl- and tetra-tosylurea derivatives of flexible and rigidified calix[4]arenes

The dimerization of tetratolyl- and tetratosyl-urea derivatives 1 and 2, derived from a tetrapentoxy calix[4]arene in the cone conformation and of the corresponding tetra-urea derivatives 3 and 4, in which the cone conformation is rigidified by the two crown-3 tethers, have been studied. All six possible equimolar mixtures were examined by 1H NMR using CDCl3 and CD2Cl2 as solvents. While no heterodimers are found for the combinations 1/3 and 2/4 in either solvent, all remaining combinations lead to the (exclusive) formation of heterodimers in CD2Cl2. In CDCl3 heterodimers are only observed for the combinations of 3 with 2 or 4. These results are discussed in terms of entropic and enthalpic contributions and compared with MD-simulations in a box of chloroform solvent molecules.     

Lithiation of meso-octamethylcalix[4]pyrrole: a general route to C-Rim monosubstituted calix[4]pyrroles

Lithiation and subsequent addition of an electrophile to meso-octamethylcalix[4]pyrrole provides a straightforward synthetic route to new, C-rim monosubstituted calix[4]pyrroles. A variety of electrophiles were used, resulting in calix[4]pyrroles with appended functional groups including carboxyl, ester, iodo, and formyl. This method was optimized to give maximum yields of the monosubstituted derivatives with lowest possible contamination by di- and trisubstituted congeners. Solid-state studies, performed for a number of these derivatives, showed unexpected supramolecular interactions involving both solvents and the monosubstituted calix[4]pyrrole derivatives themselves.     

Guest exchange in dimeric capsules formed by tetra-urea calix[4]arenes

Ten tetra-urea calix[4]arene derivatives with different ether residues (methyl, pentyl, benzyl, all combinations of methyl and pentyl, 1,3-dibenzyl-2,4-dipentyl), including also the tetrahydroxy compound and the 1,3-dipentyl ether, were synthesised. Their urea groups were substituted with a lipophilic residue to ensure sufficient solubility in cyclohexane. Thus, kinetics for the exchange of the included guest (benzene) against the solvent (cyclohexane) could be followed by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The apparent first order rate constants decrease with increasing size of the ether residues from methyl to benzyl by more than three orders of magnitude. This can be understood by a decreasing flexibility/mobility of the calixarene skeleton. In line with this explanation is the rather slow exchange for the tetrahydroxy compound, where the cone conformation is stabilised by a cyclic array of intramolecular OH...OH hydrogen bonds.     

The enhancement of luminescent properties of Tb3+ complexes with tetra-1,3-diketone ligands promoted by the tetrathiacalix[4]arene scaffold

This is the first report on the synthesis and characterization of tetra-1,3-diketone derivatives of tetrthia- and calix[4]arenes substituted by acetylacetonyl or dipivaloylmethanyl moieties at the upper rim and bearing hydroxyl groups at the lower rim as ligands for Tb³⁺ complexes. The spatial structure and tautomeric content for the synthesized ligands have been determined by means of X-ray, IR and NMR spectroscopy. Comparison of the sensitizing properties of tetrathiacalix[4]arenes and their calix[4]arene analogues on the Tb³⁺-centered luminescence in DMF solutions has been performed. A substantial enhancement of the luminescent properties of Tb³⁺- complexes with tetra-1,3-diketone ligands promoted by the tetrathiacalix[4]arene scaffold was established.     

含酰胺和席夫碱单元的杯[4]芳烃衍生物的合成与配合性能

杯[4]-1,3-二乙酸乙酯衍生物1与水合肼反应生成杯[4]芳烃酰肼衍生物2, 然后进一步与相应的芳醛反应, 高产率地合成了三个新型的含酰胺和席夫碱单元的杯[4]芳烃衍生物3a～3c和一例新型杯[4]冠醚4. 阳离子萃取实验表明新型杯芳烃衍生物比只含有酰胺基或席夫碱基的杯芳烃衍生物有更强的软金属离子配合性能, 杯[4]冠醚4还对Ag^＋有较好的选择性萃取能力.     

Calix[4]arenes with two different chemical modifications at the bridges

Hexabromocalix[4]arene derivatives (3a and 3b) possessing pairs of dibromomethylene and bromomethylene groups located at distal or proximal positions of the calix scaffold were prepared via photochemical bromination of tetramethoxycalix[4]arene. The dibromomethylene groups undergo hydrolysis to afford calix[4]arenes possessing pairs of carbonyl groups and bromomethylene groups located at distal or proximal bridges (4a and 4b, respectively). The bromomethylene groups of 4 undergo reactions with nucleophiles under S(N)1 conditions to afford a wide array of derivatives possessing two different chemical modifications at the bridges.     

Hydrogen bonding patterns of calix[4]arenes with thiourea functionalities in solution and in the solid state

[structure: see text] We have synthesized a number of calix[4]arene derivatives presenting thiourea functional groups at their upper rims by the condensation of a 1,3-di(p-amino)calix[4]arene with alkyl isothiocyanates. Mono- and dithiourea-substituted calix[4]arenes were prepared selectively in good yields, and homocoupling of the former led to calix[4]arene dimers with a thiourea linker. X-ray crystallography revealed interesting intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding patterns. (1)H NMR data and computational studies also provided some insight into the hydrogen bonding patterns.     

Direct access to upper rim substituted mono- and diaryloxy calix[4]arenes via bis(spirodienone) route

A seemingly ipso-like nucleophilic substitution of the upper rim of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene is accomplished by an indirect method involving calix[4]arene derived bis(spirodienone). This method not only provides both mono and 1,3-diaryloxy calixarenes but also enables the synthesis of upper rim monothio substituted calix[4]arenes. A modification of the methodology can be successfully extended for the selective synthesis of mono- and 1,3-diquinone calix[4]arenes having free hydroxyl groups at the lower rim, in fewer steps.     

Deoxycholate as an efficient coating agent for hydrophilic silicon nanocrystals

A layer of macrocyclic calix[4]arene derivatives has been grafted on the internal surface of the mesochannels of the ordered mesoporous SBA-15 to develop highly efficient trap for heavy transition metal (HTM) ions. To ensure the successful anchoring of calix[4]arene derivatives on the surface of SBA-15, two different types of calix[4]arene derivatives, one with one trimethoxysilane functional group and another with two trimethoxysilane functional groups have been explored. XRD, N(2) adsorption and TEM results provide strong evidence that the mesoporous structure of the supporting materials retain their long range ordering throughout the grafting process. Solid-state NMR, TG and FT-IR spectroscopy indicate that both types of calix[4]arene derivatives can be well-anchored on the surface of the wall of SBA-15. Calix[4]arene derivative with only one trimethoxysilane functional group showed high grafting efficiency compared to that with two trimethoxysilane functional groups due to the intramolecular and intermolecular polycondensation between two trimethoxysilane functional groups. The HTM ions extraction capacity in aqueous solution of macrocycle functionalized SBA-15 nanohybrides for a series of HTM ions has been studied. The obtained materials demonstrated very high HTM ions extraction capacity up to 96% for Pb(2+) in aqueous solution.     

Conformational isomerism of electroactive calix[4]arenes: influence of the electronic state in the flexibility of thiophene-containing calix[4]arene

The cone-to-paco conformational isomerism of 11,23-bis(thiophen-5-yl)-26,28-dimethoxycalix[4]arene-25,27-diol, a calix[4]arene with thiophene substituents in para position with respect to the hydroxyl groups, has been investigated using ab initio and DFT quantum mechanical methods. This compound models a molecular device constituted by small oligomers of thiophene and calix[4]arene units, whose actuation mechanism is promoted by the conformational flexibility of the latter. To examine the influence of the electronic structure of this electroactive calix[4]arene, three different states have been considered: (i) neutral state; (ii) oxidized state, in which one electron is extracted from each thiophene ring; and (iii) oxidized-deprotonated state, in which the two hydroxyl groups of the oxidized compound are deprotonated. Results are discussed and compared with those obtained for the same molecule but without thiophene substituents, 25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-dimethoxycalix[4]arene. Although the influence of the thiophene substituents is negligible in the neutral state, they play a crucial role in the rotational isomerism of both the oxidized and deprotonated-oxidized states.     

Synthesis of Calix[4]resorcinarene Amide Derivatives

Three different synthetic routes were developed to introduce carbamoyloxy functional groups at the upper periphery of two calix[4]resorcinarenes. By treating activated esters 2a-b with excess corresponding amine such as 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine 3, ct-phenethylamine 4 and triethylenetetramine 5, six amide derivatives 6a-8b were obtained in high yield (Route 1). The pyridine-linked amide derivatives 9a-b were prepared by using acid chloride intermediate (Route 2).The amide derivatives 10a-b were obtained in moderate yields by direct alkylation of phenolic hydroxyl groups of la-b with N,N-dipropylchloroacetoamide in the presence of K2CO3/KI in acetone (Route 3).     

三桥联杯[6]酰腙衍生物和相关化合物的合成

以杯[6]芳烃和杯[6]-1,4-冠-4为起始原料,经过醚化引入酯基,接着用水合肼肼解得到杯[6]酰肼衍生物2和6,然后再与水杨醛进行缩合反应,高产率合成了两例杯[6]酰腙衍生物3和7.化合物6与2倍的二水杨醛乙二醚进行"1+2"缩合反应,得到了一例新型结构的杯[6]-1,4-2,6-3,5-三桥联酰腙衍生物8,产率73%.新化合物2,3,6,7和8的结构经元素分析、红外光谱、质谱、核磁共振谱等证实.     

Syntheses and Metal-ion Binding Properties of Calix[4]arene Derivatives Containing Soft Donor Atoms: Highly Selective Extraction Reagents for Ag+

A series of calix[4]arene derivatives containing N or S atoms atthe lower rim were synthesized by etherification of OH groups and their metal-ion extraction abilities were studied. The extraction selectivity for Ag⁺ over other ions with these novel receptors was outstanding. Among these ligands, calix[4]arene podand, which possessed two linear ligands, has shown better binding ability with Ag⁺ than calix[4]crowns.