Anticooperative Supramolecular Oligomerization Mediated by V-Shaped Monomer Design and Unconventional Hydrogen Bonds

After more than three decades of extensive investigations on supramolecular polymers, strategies for self-limiting growth still remain challenging. Herein, we exploit a new V-shaped monomer design to achieve anticooperatively formed oligomers with superior robustness and high luminescence. In toluene, the monomer-oligomer equilibrium is shifted to the monomer side, enabling the elucidation of the molecular packing modes and the resulting (weak) anticooperativity. Steric effects associated with an antiparallel staircase organization of the dyes are proposed to outcompete aromatic and unconventional B−F⋅⋅⋅H−N/C interactions, restricting the growth at the stage of oligomers. In methylcyclohexane (MCH), the packing modes and the anticooperativity are preserved; however, pronounced solvophobic and chain-enwrapping effects lead to thermally ultrastable oligomers. Our results shed light on understanding anticooperative effects and restricted growth in self-assembly.     

D(+)-pi-A(-) charge-transfer molecules based on tricyanoquinodimethane and diphosphine metal complexes

A new family of D (+)-pi-A (-) chromophores in which the donor group is an organometallic complex and the acceptor group a tricyanoquinodimethane moiety has been synthesized by the reaction of diphosphinomethanide transition-metal complexes and 7,7',8,8'-tetracyanoquinodimethane.     

A TEM and XRD study of the SbNbSe3 misfit layer structures

Two new misfit layer structures have been synthesized within the Sb-Nb-Se system. Powder X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy techniques (electron diffraction, HREM, XEDS) have been used to determine the nature of their structure. According to TEM and XEDS data (for more than 15 crystals studied) both phases are monolayer type, i.e. (SbSe)1+delta (NbSe2). Electron microscopy reveals a composite modulated structure that consists of the periodical intergrowth of a pseudotetragonal SbSe layer, denominated as Q, and a pseudohexagonal layer NbSe2, denominated as H. Both layers fit along b, stack along c and do not fit along a (misfit) giving rise to an incommensurate modulation along this direction. The two phases differ in the symmetry of the Q layers being in one case orthorhombic (for delta = 0.17) and monoclinic in the other (for delta = 0.19). After the characterization of the sample by electron microscopy the unit cells of the basic layers could be refined for both phases by powder X-ray diffraction: aQ = 5.824(2) A, bQ = 5.962(5) A, cQ = 23.927(6) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees and aH = 3.415(5) A, bH = 5.962(6) A,, cH = 11.962(1) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the orthorhombic phase; aQ = 5.844(2) A, bQ = 5.981(1) A, cQ = 23.919(5) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 96.00(3)degrees and aH = 3.439(1) A, bH = 5.994(2) A, cH = 11.956(3) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 90 degrees and gamma = 90 degrees for the monoclinic phase. The phase with the monoclinic Q-sublattice often appears as twinned crystals. The more abundant crystals are disordered intergrowths of both monolayer phases.     

Raman optical activity spectra and conformational elucidation of chiral drugs. The case of the antiangiogenic aeroplysinin-1

We present the determination of the conformational properties of aeroplysinin-1 in aqueous solution by means of a combined experimental and theoretical Raman optical activity (ROA) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) study. Aeroplysinin-1 is an antiangiogenic drug extracted from the sponge Aplysina cavernicola which has been proved to be a valuable candidate for the treatment of cancer and other antiangiogenic diseases. Our study shows that this molecule possesses the 1S,6R absolute configuration in aqueous solution, where only two conformers are present to a significant level. We discuss in detail the relationships between the chiro-optical ROA and VCD features, and the structural properties of various energy accessible conformers are described. The present work is one of the first studies in which both ROA and VCD have been used as complementary tools for the determination of absolute configuration and dominant solution-state conformations of an unknown therapeutically significant molecule.     

The role of lipophilicity in transmembrane anion transport

The transmembrane anion transport activity of a series of synthetic molecules inspired by the structure of tambjamine alkaloids can be tuned by varying the lipophilicity of the receptor, with carriers within a certain log P range performing best.     

Crystal Structure of 2-Thiophenecarboxamide: A One-dimensional Tubular Structure Formed by N–H···O Hydrogen Bonds

Abstract  The crystal structure of 2-thoiphenecarboxamide is described. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic Pna2₁ space group with unit cell parameters a = 10.044 (3) ?, b = 14.203 (4) ? and c = 15.941 (3) ?; V = 2,274.1 (10) ?³. The asymmetric unit contains four independent molecules which are linked by N–H···O hydrogen bonds. The asymmetric unit at (x, y, z) is connected with another one, produced by the a-glide plane at 0.75 along the b-axis, that lies at (x + 0.5, −y + 1.5, z) by two N–H···O hydrogen bonds and by a C–H···O weak hydrogen bond to form a one-dimensional tube. Adjacent tubes are linked by C–H···pi interactions to form a three-dimensional framework. Graphical Abstract  The crystal structure of 2-thiophenecarboxamide, contains four crystallographically independent molecular components in the asymmetric unit linked by four N–H···O hydrogen bonds and a weak C–H···O hydrogen bond and form a one-dimensional tube. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Hydro­gen bonding in substituted nitro­anilines: isolated nets in 1,3‐­diamino‐4‐nitrobenzene and continuously interwoven nets in 3,5‐­dinitro­aniline

Molecules of 1,3‐diamino‐4‐nitrobenzene, C₆H₇N₃O₂, are linked by N—H?O hydrogen bonds [N?O 2.964 (2) and 3.021 (2) Å; N—H?O 155 and 149°] into (4,4) nets. In 3,5‐di­nitro­aniline, C₆H₅N₃O₄, where Z′ = 2, the mol­ecules are linked by three N—H?O hydrogen bonds [N?O 3.344 (2)–3.433 (2) Å and N—H?O 150–167°] into deeply puckered nets, each of which is interwoven with its two immediate neighbours.