Bis-4,4′-biphenyl Ring Embedded Octaphyrin with Three Distinct Conformational Structures

Three distinct conformational structures of carbaoctaphyrins were prepared by incorporating bis-4,4'-biphenyl units in the macrocyclic core. The free-base form adopts a figure-eight conformation, whereas the protonation triggers a conformational change with a pyrrole ring inversion and acquires an open-framework structure. The insertion of bis-Rh^I metal ion in the macrocyclic core affords a singly twisted conformational structure. Furthermore, the local aromaticity in the bis-4,4'-biphenyl ring dominates the overall macrocyclic aromaticity in all three forms, and thus adopts nonaromatic characteristics. These results are supported by spectral as well as theoretical studies, and they are unambiguously confirmed by X-ray crystal analyses.     

Palladium Complexes of Corroles and Sapphyrins

Palladium complexes of corrole and sapphyrin were prepared in high yield and fully characterized. The corrole provides a tetradentate/trianionic square planar coordination sphere for Pd^II, charge balanced by pyridinium. Both one and two Pd^II ions may be accommodated by the pentapyrrolic skeleton of the sapphyrin, and in each case the macrocycle acts as bidentate/monoanionic ligand and the inner-sphere square planar geometry is completed by allyl anions coordinated in an η³ fashion. NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography data analyses uncovered the presence of interesting stereoisomers due to the flexibility of the ally ligands and also the pyrrole ring(s) that is/are not involved in metal binding.     

Significant Effect of the Flexibility of Bridging Alkyl Chains on the Proximity of Stacked Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Conjugated with a Fourfold Rotaxane Linkage

Spatial distance is an important factor in controlling the functional interactions between molecular units in a conjugate; therefore, the bridging unit has been closely examined. Here, we examined the effect of the flexibility of bridging alkyl chains on the proximity of stacked porphyrin and phthalocyanine conjugated with a fourfold rotaxane linkage. We found that closely stacking two π systems requires bridging alkyl chains above a certain length, and the shorter bridges hinder stacking because of their lower flexibility. The stacking distance between porphyrin and phthalocyanine in the conjugate with decyl (C₁₀) chains was estimated to be 4.03 Å and showed a unique physical character arising from short-distance interactions. The longer alkyl chains minimized steric restriction inside the fourfold rotaxane and allowed efficient communication between the porphyrin and phthalocyanine units. This is due to the flexibility of the side chains.     

Coronenetetraimide‐Centered Cruciform Pentamers Containing Multiporphyrin Units: Synthesis and Sequential Photoinduced Energy‐ and Electron‐Transfer Dynamics

A series of coronenetetraimide (CorTIm)‐centered cruciform pentamers containing multiporphyrin units, in which four porphyrin units are covalently linked to a CorTIm core through benzyl linkages, were designed and synthesized to investigate their structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties as well as photoinduced electron‐ and energy‐transfer dynamics. These systems afforded the first synthetic case of coroneneimide derivatives covalently linked with dye molecules. The steady‐state absorption and electrochemical results indicate that a CorTIm and four porphyrin units were successfully characterized by the corresponding reference monomers. In contrast, the steady‐state fluorescence measurements demonstrated that strong fluorescence quenching relative to the corresponding monomer units was observed in these pentamers. Nanosecond laser flash photolysis measurements revealed the occurrence of intermolecular electron transfer from triplet excited state of zinc porphyrins to CorTIm. Femtosecond laser‐induced transient absorption measurements for excitation of the CorTIm unit clearly demonstrate the sequential photoinduced energy and electron transfer between CorTIm and porphyrins, that is, occurrence of the initial energy transfer from CorTIm (energy donor) to porphyrins (energy acceptor) and subsequent electron transfer from porphyrins (electron donor) to CorTIm (electron acceptor) in these pentamers, whereas only the electron‐transfer process from porphyrins to CorTIm was observed when we mainly excite porphyrin units. Finally, construction of high‐order supramolecular patterning of these pentamers was performed by utilizing self‐assembly and physical dewetting during the evaporation of solvent.     

Diketopyrrolopyrrole‐Porphyrin Conjugates with High Two‐Photon Absorption and Singlet Oxygen Generation for Two‐Photon Photodynamic Therapy

Two‐photon photodynamic therapy is a promising therapeutic method which requires the development of sensitizers with efficient two‐photon absorption and singlet‐oxygen generation. Reported here are two new diketopyrrolopyrrole‐porphyrin conjugates as robust two‐photon absorbing dyes with high two‐photon absorption cross‐sections within the therapeutic window. Furthermore, for the first time the singlet‐oxygen generation efficiency of diketopyrrolopyrrole‐containing systems is investigated. A preliminary study on cell culture showed efficient two‐photon induced phototoxicity.     

Chloride‐Anion‐Templated Synthesis of a Strapped‐Porphyrin‐Containing Catenane Host System

The synthesis, structure and anion‐recognition properties of a new strapped‐porphyrin‐containing [2]catenane anion host system are described. The assembly of the catenane is directed by discrete chloride anion templation acting in synergy with secondary aromatic donor–acceptor and coordinative pyridine–zinc interactions. The [2]catenane incorporates a three‐dimensional, hydrogen‐bond‐donating anion‐binding pocket; solid‐state structural analysis of the catenane?chloride complex reveals that the chloride anion is encapsulated within the catenane’s interlocked binding cavity through six convergent CH????Cl and NH???Cl hydrogen‐bonding interactions and solution‐phase ¹H NMR titration experiments demonstrate that this complementary hydrogen‐bonding arrangement facilitates the selective recognition of chloride over larger halide anions in DMSO solution.     

Structure and electronic properties of hollow‐caged C60 fullerene‐derived (MN4)nC6(10 − n) (M = Zn,Mg, Fe,n = 1−6) complexes

Unique hollow‐caged (MN₄)_nC_{6(10 ? n)} (M = Zn, Mg, Fe, n = 1?6) complexes designed by introduction of n porphyrinoid fragments in C₆₀ fullerene structure were proposed and the atomic and electronic structures were calculated using LC‐DFT MPWB95 and M06 potentials and 6‐311G(d)/6‐31G(d) basis sets. The complexes were optimized using various symmetric configurations from the highest O_h to the lowest C₁ point groups in different spin states from S = 0 (singlet) to S = 7 (quindectet) for M = Fe to define energetically preferable atomic and electronic structures. Several metastable complexes were determined and the key role of the metal ions in stabilization of the atomic structure of the complexes was revealed. For Fe₆N₂₄C₂₄, the minimum energy was reported for C_2h, D_2h, and D_4h symmetry of pentet state S = 2, so the complex can be regarded as unique molecular magnet. It was found that the metal partial density of states determine the nature of HOMO and LUMO levels making the clusters promising catalysts. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A New Porphyrin for the Preparation of Functionalized Water-Soluble Gold Nanoparticles with Low Intrinsic Toxicity

A potential new photosensitizer based on a dissymmetric porphyrin derivative bearing a thiol group was synthesized. 5-[4-(11-Mercaptoundecyloxy)-phenyl-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin (PR-SH) was used to functionalize gold nanoparticles in order to obtain a potential drug delivery system. Water-soluble multifunctional gold nanoparticles GNP-PR/PEG were prepared using the Brust–Schiffrin methodology, by immobilization of both a thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG) and the porphyrin thiol compound (PR-SH). The nanoparticles were fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Furthermore, the ability of GNP-PR/PEGs to induce singlet oxygen production was analyzed to demonstrate the activity of the photosensitizer. Cytotoxicity experiments showed the nanoparticles are nontoxic. Finally, cellular uptake experiments demonstrated that the functionalized gold nanoparticles are internalized. Therefore, this colloid can be considered to be a novel nanosystem that could potentially be suitable as an intracellular drug delivery system of photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy.