Voltage‐Switchable HCl Transport Enabled by Lipid Headgroup–Transporter Interactions

Synthetic anion transporters that facilitate transmembrane H⁺/Cl^? symport (cotransport) have anti‐cancer potential due to their ability to neutralize pH gradients and inhibit autophagy in cells. However, compared to the natural product prodigiosin, synthetic anion transporters have low‐to‐modest H⁺/Cl^? symport activity and their mechanism of action remains less well understood. We report a chloride‐selective tetraurea macrocycle that has a record‐high H⁺/Cl^? symport activity similar to that of prodigiosin and most importantly demonstrates unprecedented voltage‐switchable transport properties that are linked to the lack of uniport activity. By studying the anion binding affinity and transport mechanisms of four other anion transporters, we show that the lack of uniport and voltage‐dependent H⁺/Cl^? symport originate from strong binding to phospholipid headgroups that hampers the diffusion of the free transporters through the membrane, leading to an unusual H⁺/Cl^? symport mechanism that involves only charged species. Our work provides important mechanistic insights into different classes of anion transporters and a new approach to achieve voltage‐switchability in artificial membrane transport systems.     

A Near‐Infrared Dye That Undergoes Multiple Interconversions through Acid–Base Equilibrium and Reversible Redox Processes

A near‐infrared (NIR) polymethine dye ( 1 ), consisting of a cyclohepta[1,2‐b ;4,3‐b′ ]dithiophene and two phenol moieties, was synthesized. This dye exhibited pH‐responsive changes in its photophysical properties due to a two‐step acid–base equilibrium that produced a protonated cation ( 1H⁺ ) and an anion ( 1⁻ ). While 1H⁺ showed an intense fluorescence in the red region of the visible spectrum, 1⁻ exhibited a strong absorption in the NIR region. The tropylium ion character in 1H⁺ induces high pK _a1 and pK _a2 values for 1 . Moreover, a stable radical ( 1^. ) was prepared, which showed a NIR absorption band with a maximum at circa 1600 nm. The cyclic voltammogram of 1^. revealed a two‐step reversible redox process that produced 1⁻ and the cation 1⁺ , which is different from 1H⁺ . These redox processes accompany drastic electrochromic changes in the vis–NIR region. Overall, 1 is susceptible to multiple interconversions between five forms, due to the multifaceted character of the cycloheptadithiophene skeleton.     

2,2′‐(Iminodimethylene)bis(1H‐benzimidazolium)(1+) chloride

The title compound, C₁₆H₁₆N₅⁺·Cl⁻ (nbbH⁺·Cl⁻), displays N—H⋯N, N—H⋯Cl and π–π inter­actions in the crystal packing. The Cl⁻ anion is chelated by the nbbH⁺ cation via two N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. Inter‐ion N—H⋯N and N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds link ions related by 2₁ screw axes into chains along the c axis. These chains are further linked by glide‐plane operations to generate a three‐dimensional network, which is additionally stabilized by inter­chain π–π inter­actions.     

l‐Methioninium chloride and l‐seleno­methioninium chloride at 103 K

The crystal structures of the title compounds, (S)‐1‐carboxy‐3‐(methyl­sulfanyl)­propanaminium chloride, C₅H₁₂NO₂S⁺·Cl⁻, and (S)‐1‐carboxy‐3‐(methyl­selanyl)­propanaminium chloride, C₅H₁₂NO₂Se⁺·Cl⁻, are isomorphous. The proton­ated l ‐methionine and l ‐seleno­methionine mol­ecules have almost identical conformations and create very similar contacts with the Cl⁻ anions in the crystal structures of both compounds. The amino acid cations and the Cl⁻ anions are linked viaN—H⋯Cl⁻ and O—H⋯Cl⁻ hydrogen bonds.     

Features of Protonation of the Simplest Weakly Basic Molecules,SO2, CO,N2O,CO2, and Others by Solid Carborane Superacids

An experimental study on protonation of simple weakly basic molecules (L) by the strongest solid superacid, H(CHB₁₁F₁₁), showed that basicity of SO₂ is high enough (during attachment to the acidic H atoms at partial pressure of 1 atm) to break the bridged H‐bonds of the polymeric acid and to form a mixture of solid mono‐ LH⁺⋅⋅⋅An⁻, and disolvates, L−H⁺−L. With a decrease in the basicity of L=CO (via C), N₂O, and CO (via O), only proton monosolvates are formed, which approach L−H⁺−An⁻ species with convergence of the strengths of bridged H‐bonds. The molecules with the weakest basicity, such as CO₂ and weaker, when attached to the proton, cannot break the bridged H‐bond of the polymeric superacid, and the interaction stops at stage of physical adsorption. It is shown here that under the conditions of acid monomerization, it is possible to protonate such weak bases as CO₂, N₂, and Xe.     

Salt forms of the pharmaceutical amide dihydrocarbamazepine

Carbamazepine (CBZ) is well known as a model active pharmaceutical ingredient used in the study of polymorphism and the generation and comparison of cocrystal forms. The pharmaceutical amide dihydrocarbamazepine (DCBZ) is a less well known material and is largely of interest here as a structural congener of CBZ. Reaction of DCBZ with strong acids results in protonation of the amide functionality at the O atom and gives the salt forms dihydrocarbamazepine hydrochloride {systematic name: [(10,11‐dihydro‐5H‐dibenzo[b,f]azepin‐5‐yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium chloride, C₁₅H₁₅N₂O⁺·Cl⁻}, dihydrocarbamazepine hydrochloride monohydrate {systematic name: [(10,11‐dihydro‐5H‐dibenzo[b,f]azepin‐5‐yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium chloride monohydrate, C₁₅H₁₅N₂O⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O} and dihydrocarbamazepine hydrobromide monohydrate {systematic name: [(10,11‐dihydro‐5H‐dibenzo[b,f]azepin‐5‐yl)(hydroxy)methylidene]azanium bromide monohydrate, C₁₅H₁₅N₂O⁺·Br⁻·H₂O}. The anhydrous hydrochloride has a structure with two crystallographically independent ion pairs (Z′ = 2), wherein both cations adopt syn conformations, whilst the two hydrated species are mutually isostructural and have cations with anti conformations. Compared to neutral dihydrocarbamazepine structures, protonation of the amide group is shown to cause changes to both the molecular (C=O bond lengthening and C—N bond shortening) and the supramolecular structures. The amide‐to‐amide and dimeric hydrogen‐bonding motifs seen for neutral polymorphs and cocrystalline species are replaced here by one‐dimensional polymeric constructs with no direct amide‐to‐amide bonds. The structures are also compared with, and shown to be closely related to, those of the salt forms of the structurally similar pharmaceutical carbamazepine.     

Tetra‐μ‐chloro‐1:2κ4Cl;1:3κ4Cl‐bis(4,4′‐di­methyl‐2,2′‐bi­pyridine)‐2κ2N,3κ2N‐lithium(I)­dipalladium(II) tetrakis­(penta­fluoro­phenyl)­borate di­chloro­methane 1.196‐solvate

In the crystal structure of the title compound, [LiPd₂Cl₄(C₁₂H₁₂N₂)₂](C₂₄F₂₀B)·1.196CD₂Cl₂ or [{(Me₂bipy)PdCl₂}₂(μ‐Li)]⁺·B(C₆F₅)₄⁻·1.196CD₂Cl₂ (Me₂bipy is 4,4′‐di­methyl‐2,2′‐bi­pyridine), an Li⁺ cation is stabilized by complexation with two (Me₂bipy)PdCl₂ units through weak Li—Cl interactions. This compound is thus a rare example of a complex that exhibits an arrested Cl⁻ abstraction.     

A structural study of Si6‐ring‐containing [Si6Cl14]2− chlorosilicates

The crystal structures of four substituted‐ammonium dichloride dodecachlorohexasilanes are presented. Each is crystallized with a different cation and one of the structures contains a benzene solvent molecule: bis(tetraethylammonium) dichloride dodecachlorohexasilane, 2C₈H₂₀N⁺·2Cl⁻·Cl₁₂Si₆, (I), tetrabutylammonium tributylmethylammonium dichloride dodecachlorohexasilane, C₁₆H₃₆N⁺·C₁₃H₃₀N⁺·2Cl⁻·Cl₁₂Si₆, (II), bis(tetrabutylammonium) dichloride dodecachlorohexasilane benzene disolvate, 2C₁₆H₃₆N⁺·2Cl⁻·Cl₁₂Si₆·2C₆H₆, (III), and bis(benzyltriphenylphosphonium) dichloride dodecachlorohexasilane, 2C₂₅H₂₂P⁺·2Cl⁻·Cl₁₂Si₆, (IV). In all four structures, the dodecachlorohexasilane ring is located on a crystallographic centre of inversion. The geometry of the dichloride dodecachlorohexasilanes in the different structures is almost the same, irrespective of the cocrystallized cation and solvent. However, the crystal structure of the parent dodecachlorohexasilane molecule shows that this molecule adopts a chair conformation. In (IV), the P atom and the benzyl group of the cation are disordered over two sites, with a site‐occupation factor of 0.560 (5) for the major‐occupied site.     

Bis(5‐tert‐butyl‐2‐hydroxy‐3‐methylbenzyl)(6‐hydroxyhexyl)ammonium chloride monohydrate,an anion receptor complex

In the title compound, C₃₀H₄₈NO₃⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O, the cation acts with a water molecule as a chloride ion receptor. The chloride ion forms three strong intramolecular hydrogen bonds. The water molecule forms both an intramolecular bridge between one phenol H atom and the chloride ion, and an intermolecular link to the aliphatic alcohol O atom. Weak intermolecular C—H...Cl and C—H ...O hydrogen bonds provide additional packing interactions.     

cis‐Dichloro­[tris­(2‐benzimidazolylmethyl)amine]iron(III) chloride ethanol dihydrate: hydrogen bonding changing the arrangement of tapes built from π–π and C—H⋯π inter­actions

The title compound, [FeCl₂(C₂₄H₂₁N₇)]Cl·C₂H₅OH·2H₂O, comprises an [FeCl₂(C₂₄H₂₁N₇)]⁺ cation, a Cl⁻ anion, an ethanol mol­ecule and two water mol­ecules. The cations are linked by π–π and C—H⋯π inter­actions into one‐dimensional tapes, and hydrogen bonding between the cations, Cl⁻ anions, and ethanol and water mol­ecules links these tapes into a three‐dimensional network.     

Nimustine hydrochloride: the first crystal structure determination of a 2‐chloroethyl‐N‐nitrosourea hydrochloride derivative by X‐ray powder diffraction and solid‐state NMR

Nimustine hydrochloride [systematic name: 4‐amino‐5‐({[N‐(2‐chloroethyl)‐N‐nitrosocarbamoyl]amino}methyl)‐2‐methylpyrimidin‐1‐ium chloride], C₉H₁₄ClN₆O₂⁺·Cl⁻, is a prodrug of CENU (chloroethylnitrosourea) and is used as a cytostatic agent in cancer therapy. Its crystal structure was determined from laboratory X‐ray powder diffraction data. The protonation at an N atom of the pyrimidine ring was established by solid‐state NMR spectroscopy.     

1,3‐Benzothia­zole‐6‐carboxamidinium chloride dihydrate

The title compound, C₈H₈N₃S⁺·Cl⁻·2H₂O, has been synthesized and characterized both spectroscopically and structurally. The structure consists of 1,3‐benzothia­zole‐6‐carboxamidinium cations, chloride anions and water mol­ecules, all interconnected by hydrogen bonds into a three‐dimensional network. The 1,3‐benzo­thia­zole moiety is inclined to the 6‐­amidine group by 36.71 (9)°.     

7‐Carboxyl­ato‐8‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl­quinolinium monohydrate and 7‐carboxy‐8‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl­quinolinium chloride monohydrate at 100 K

Both 7‐carboxyl­ato‐8‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl­quinolinium monohydrate, C₁₁H₉NO₃·H₂O, (I), and 7‐carboxy‐8‐hydroxy‐2‐methyl­quinolinium chloride monohydrate, C₁₁H₁₀NO₃⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O, (II), crystallize in the centrosymmetric P space group. Both compounds display an intramolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond involving the hydroxy group; this hydrogen bond is stronger in (I) due to its zwitterionic character [O⋯O = 2.4449 (11) Å in (I) and 2.5881 (12) Å in (II)]. In both crystal structures, the HN⁺ group participates in the stabilization of the structure via intermolecular hydrogen bonds with water mol­ecules [N⋯O = 2.7450 (12) Å in (I) and 2.8025 (14) Å in (II)]. In compound (II), a hydrogen‐bond network connects the Cl⁻ anion to the carboxylic acid group [Cl⋯O = 2.9641 (11) Å] and to two water mol­ecules [Cl⋯O = 3.1485 (10) and 3.2744 (10) Å].     

Proton‐bifurcated C—H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bonds in 2,3‐dichloro‐6‐nitro­benzyl­aminium chloride

In the crystal structure of the title salt, C₇H₇Cl₂N₂O₂⁺·Cl⁻, the chloride anions participate in extensive hydrogen bonding with the aminium cations and indirectly link the mol­ecules through multiple N⁺—H⋯Cl⁻ salt bridges. There are two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, related by a pseudo‐inversion center. The direct inter­molecular coupling is established by C—H⋯O, C—H⋯Cl and C—Cl⋯Cl⁻ inter­actions. A rare three‐center (donor bifurcated) C—H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bond is observed between the methyl­ene and nitro groups, with a side‐on intra­molecular component of closed‐ring type and a head‐on inter­molecular component.     

6‐(4‐Methoxy­benzyl­amino)­purin‐3‐ium chloride

The title compound, C₁₃H₁₄N₅O⁺·Cl⁻, belongs to the group of aromatic cytokinins. These compounds affect a variety of important physiological processes in plants and animals as well as in bacteria, including cell division, differentiation and senescence. The structure consists of a 6‐(4‐methoxy­benzyl­amino)­purinium cation and a Cl⁻ anion. The cation moiety exists as the N3‐protonated N7 tautomer. The cation contains nearly planar benzene and purine ring systems, with a dihedral angle of 77.46 (5)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by N_amino—H⋯N_purine hydrogen bonds connecting two adjacent mol­ecules, thus forming centrosymmetric dimers.     

Lithium carnallite,LiCl·MgCl2·7H2O

The title compound, lithium magnesium chloride heptahydrate, LiCl·MgCl₂·7H₂O, was analyzed in 1988 by powder X‐ray diffraction [Emons, Brand, Pohl & Köhnke (1988). Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 563 , 180–184] and a monoclinic crystal lattice was determined. In the present work, the structure was solved from single‐crystal diffraction data. A trigonal structure was found, exhibiting a network structure of Mg(H₂O)₆ octahedra and Li(H₂O)Cl₃ tetrahedra connected by H...Cl hydrogen bonds. The [Li(H₂O)]⁺ unit is coordinated by distorted edge‐connected Cl⁻ octahedra.     

An amino–imino resonance study of 2‐amino‐4‐methylpyridinium nitrate and 2‐amino‐5‐methylpyridinium nitrate

The contributions of the amino and imino resonance forms to the ground‐state structures of 2‐amino‐4‐methylpyridinium nitrate, C₆H₉N₂⁺·NO₃⁻, and the previously reported 2‐amino‐5‐methylpyridinium nitrate [Yan, Fan, Bi, Zuo & Zhang (2012). Acta Cryst. E 68 , o2084], were studied using a combination of IR spectroscopy, X‐ray crystallography and density functional theory (DFT). The results show that the structures of 2‐amino‐4‐methylpyridine and 2‐amino‐5‐methylpyridine obtained upon protonation are best described as existing largely in the imino resonance forms.     

Antidiarrhetic loperamide hydrochloride

Single crystals of the anhydrous form of the title compound {systematic name: 1‐[3‐(dimethylcarbamoyl)‐3,3‐diphenylpropyl]‐4‐hydroxy‐4‐(4‐chlorophenyl)piperidin‐1‐ium chloride}, C₂₉H₃₄ClN₂O₂⁺·Cl⁻, were obtained by diffusion of acetone into a solution in 2‐propanol. In the structure, N—H...Cl⁻ and O—H...Cl⁻ hydrogen bonds connect neighbouring molecules and chloride anions to form chains along the c‐axis direction. Neighbouring chains along the b‐axis direction are connected by intermolecular C—H...Cl⁻ contacts, defining layers parallel to the (100) planes. The layers are connected by weak intermolecular C—H...Cl interactions only, which may account for the plate‐like shape of the crystals.     

7‐Methoxy‐2,3‐dioxo‐1,4‐dihydroquinoxalin‐6‐aminium chloride monohydrate

Single crystals of the title compound, C₉H₁₀N₃O₃⁺·Cl⁻·H₂O, were obtained by recrystallization from hydrochloric acid. The cations stack along the crystallographic a direction. The 2,3‐dioxo‐1,4‐dihydroquinoxaline group shows a significant deviation from planarity [r.m.s. deviation from the best plane = 0.063 (2) Å]. Hydrogen bonding links the cations, chloride anions and water molecules to form an extended three‐dimensional architecture.