A Solid‐State Fluorescent Host System with a 21‐Helical Column Consisting of Chiral (1R,2S)‐2‐Amino‐1,2‐diphenylethanol and Fluorescent 1‐Pyrenecarboxylic Acid

A solid‐state fluorescent host system was created by self‐assembly of a 2₁‐helical columnar organic fluorophore composed of (1R,2S)‐2‐amino‐1,2‐diphenylethanol and fluorescent 1‐pyrenecarboxylic acid. This host system has a characteristic 2₁‐helical columnar hydrogen‐ and ionic‐bonded network. Channel‐like cavities are formed by self‐assembly of this column, and various guest molecules can be included by tuning the packing of this column. Moreover, the solid‐state fluorescence of this host system can change according to the included guest molecules. This occurs because of the change in the relative arrangement of the pyrene rings as they adjust to the tuning of the packing of the shared 2₁‐helical column, according to the size of the included guest molecules. Therefore, this host system can recognize slight differences in molecular size and shape.     

Gelation of a Highly Fluorescent Urea‐Containing Triarylmelamine Derivative: 2,4,6‐Tris(p‐N′‐Octadecylureido‐Anilino)Triazine in Organic Solvents

A new gelator of urea‐containing triazine derivatives was synthesized and tested in order to explore the gelation potential in different organic solvents. This compound has been found to form organogels with a variety of organic solvents such as decalin and other solvents. The resulting thermo‐reversible gel was characterized by using the dropping ball method and a number of other instruments. The melting temperature of the gel increased with the gel concentration. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding of gelation was demonstrated through an FT‐IR spectrometer. UV‐Vis and fluorescence analysis showed that the gel displayed various optical effects in different organic solvents. The blue fluorescence of the gel in decalin and the quenched effect of gel in CHCl³ were displayed, respectively. Morphological features in decalin and CHCl₃ were studied by applying atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the morphological features demonstrated that there were different aggregations in different solvents. In conductivity electrolyte experiments, the organogel electrolytes indicated high conductivity (σ) comparable to the corresponding NaClO₄/THF solution. The conductivity of gel electrolytes was increased with electrolyte salt.     

Molecular structure of agarose chains in thermoreversible hydrogels revealed by means of a fluorescent probe technique

Thermoreversible hydrogels of agarose with both high and low molecular weights were studied by means of a fluorescence probe method using 1‐anilino‐8‐naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS). The fluorescence spectra of ANS in agarose/water changed markedly with agarose concentration. Analysis of the spectra shows that this change is not due to a shift of the whole spectrum, but that there are two fluorescent components of ANS in addition to the fluorescence peak at 542 nm due to free ANS molecules in water. The fluorescence component at 461 nm is assumed to be from ANS intercalated within either a single 3₁ helix‐form agarose chain or nonpolar region produced by chemical defect, and the fluorescence component between 507 and 522 nm is assumed to be from ANS in aggregated regions of agarose chains having a loose helical structure. There is no doubt that a certain number of water molecules are included in the aggregated region. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 680–688, 2005     

Lyotropic Supramolecular Helical Columnar Phases Formed by C3‐Symmetric and Unsymmetric Rigid Molecules

Unlike thermotropic liquid‐crystalline C₃‐symmetric molecules with flexible chains, the herein‐designed fully rigid three‐armed molecules (C₃‐symmetric and unsymmetric) create a fancy architecture for the formation of lyotropic liquid crystals in water. First, hollow columns with triple‐stranded helices, analogous to helical rosette nanotubes, are spontaneously constructed by self‐organization of the rigid three‐armed molecules. Then, the helical nanotubes arrange into hexagonal liquid‐crystalline phases, which show macroscopic chirality as a result of supramolecular chiral symmetry breaking. Interestingly, the helical nanotubes constructed by the fully rigid molecules are robust and stable over a wide concentration range in water. They are hardly affected by ionic defects at the molecular periphery, that is, further decoration of functional groups on the molecular arms can presumably be realized without changing the helical conformation. In addition, the formed columnar phases can be aligned macroscopically by simple shear and show anisotropic ionic conductivity, which suggests promising applications for low‐dimensional ion‐conductive materials.     

“Helix‐in‐Helix” Superstructure Formation through Encapsulation of Fullerene‐Bound Helical Peptides within a Helical Poly(methyl methacrylate) Cavity

A one‐handed 3₁₀‐helical hexapeptide is efficiently encapsulated within the helical cavity of st‐PMMA when a fullerene (C₆₀) derivative is introduced at the C‐terminal end of the peptide. The encapsulation is accompanied by induction of a preferred‐handed helical conformation in the st‐PMMA backbone with the same‐handedness as that of the hexapeptide to form a crystalline st‐PMMA/peptide‐C₆₀ inclusion complex with a unique optically active helix‐in‐helix structure. Although the st‐PMMA is unable to encapsulate the 3₁₀‐helical peptide without the terminal C₆₀ unit, the helical hollow space of the st‐PMMA is almost filled by the C₆₀‐bound peptides. This result suggests that the C₆₀ moiety can serve as a versatile molecular carrier of specific molecules and polymers in the helical cavity of the st‐PMMA for the formation of an inclusion complex, thus producing unique supramolecular soft materials that cannot be prepared by other methods.     

A Two‐Dimensional Coordination Compound as a Zinc Ion Selective Luminescent Probe for Biological Applications

A 2D coordination compound {[Cu₂(HL)(N₃)]?ClO₄}_∞ ( 1 ; H₃L=2,6‐bis(hydroxyethyliminoethyl)‐4‐methyl phenol) was synthesized and characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction to be a polymer in the crystalline state. Each [Cu₂(HL)(N₃)]⁺ species is connected to its adjacent unit by a bridging alkoxide oxygen atom of the ligand to form a helical propagation along the crystallographic a axis. The adjacent helical frameworks are connected by a ligand alcoholic oxygen atom along the crystallographic b axis to produce pleated 2D sheets. In solution, 1 dissociates into [Cu₂(HL)₂(H₃L)]?2H₂O ( 2 ); the monomer displays high selectivity for Zn²⁺ and can be used in HEPES buffer (pH 7.4) as a zinc ion selective luminescent probe for biological application. The system shows a nearly 19‐fold Zn²⁺‐selective chelation‐enhanced fluorescence response in the working buffer. Application of 2 to cultured living cells (B16F10 mouse melanoma and A375 human melanoma) and rat hippocampal slices was also studied by fluorescence microscopy.     

Supramolecular Tilt Chirality Derived from Symmetrical Benzene Molecules: Handedness of the 21 Helical Assembly

Achiral molecules can form aggregates with chirality. This depends on the relative position of the molecules, in other words, the tilt of the molecules (so‐called supramolecular tilt chirality). In this paper, we describe supramolecular chirality appearing in a 2₁ column composed of symmetrical benzene molecules, which is formed in the host cavity of inclusion crystals of cholic acid. Moreover, we determined the handedness, that is, right or left, of the 2₁ helical column of benzene on the basis of the molecular tilt. Determination of the 2₁ helical handedness was performed on assemblies of other benzene derivatives in cholic acid crystals and benzene assemblies in other host frameworks selected from the Cambridge Structural Database. Finally, we demonstrated complementarity of the handedness between the 2₁ symmetrical host framework of cholic acid and the benzene column.     

Synthesis and Structure Characterization of Metal‐organic Frameworks with a Triple Iron Helical Complex

Metal‐organic frameworks were achieved from triple metal helical iron complex [(Fe₂L₃)·(H₂O)₄] (L = bis[2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde]hydrazonate). The phenyl rings of the helical units contact the neighbors via π‐π and C‐H···π interactions to form two‐dimensional channeled frameworks in which four solvent water molecules are included in the channels of the structure. Thermogravimetric analyses reveal that the solvent water molecules can be evacuated from the pores without loss of the framework periodicity. The crystal lattice is thermally stable up to 339.9 °C, and water can be re‐included by putting the heated material in water.     

Tunable Dual Fluorescence of 3‐(2,2′‐Bipyridyl)‐Substituted Iminocoumarin

3‐(2,2′‐Bipyridyl)‐substituted iminocoumarin molecules (compounds 1 and 2 ) exhibit dual fluorescence. Each molecule has one electron donor and two electron acceptors that are in conjugation, which leads to fluorescence from two independent charge transfer (CT) states. To account for the dual fluorescence, we subscribe to a kinetic model in which both CT states form after rapid decays from the directly accessed S₁ and S₂ excited states. Due to the slow internal conversion from S₂ to S₁, or more likely the slow interconversion between the two subsequently formed CT states, dual emission is allowed to occur. This hypothesis is supported by the following evidence: 1) the emission at short and long ends of the spectrum originates from two different excitation spectra, which eliminates the possibility that dual emission occurs after an adiabatic reaction at the S₁ level. 2) The fluorescence quantum yield of compound 2 grows with increasing excitation wavelength, which indicates that the high‐energy excitation elevates the molecule to a weakly emissive state that does not internally convert to the low‐energy, highly emissive state. The intensity of the two emission bands of 1 is tunable through the specific interactions between either of the two electron acceptors with another species, such as Zn²⁺ in the current demonstration. Therefore, the development of ratiometric fluorescent indicators based on the dual‐emitting iminocoumarin system is conceivable. Further fundamental studies on this series of compounds using time‐resolved spectroscopic techniques, and explorations of their applications will be carried out in the near future.     

A self‐penetrated three‐dimensional zinc(II) coordination framework based on 4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)tribenzoic acid and 1,3‐bis[(imidazol‐1‐yl)methyl]benzene ligands: synthesis,structure and properties

With the rapid development of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), a variety of MOFs and their derivatives have been synthesized and reported in recent years. Commonly, multifunctional aromatic polycarboxylic acids and nitrogen‐containing ligands are employed to construct MOFs with fascinating structures. 4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐Triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)tribenzoic acid (H₃TATB) and the bidentate nitrogen‐containing ligand 1,3‐bis[(imidazol‐1‐yl)methyl]benzene (bib) were selected to prepare a novel Zn^II‐MOF under solvothermal conditions, namely poly[[tris{μ‐1,3‐bis[(imidazol‐1‐yl)methyl]benzene}bis[μ₃‐4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)tribenzoato]trizinc(II)] dimethylformamide disolvate trihydrate], {[Zn₃(C₂₄H₁₂N₃O₆)₂(C₁₄H₁₄N₄)₃]·2C₃H₇NO·3H₂O}_n ( 1 ). The structure of 1 was characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and powder X‐ray diffraction. The properties of 1 were investigated by thermogravimetric and fluorescence analysis. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction shows that 1 belongs to the monoclinic space group Pc. The asymmetric unit contains three crystallographically independent Zn^II centres, two 4,4′,4′′‐(1,3,5‐triazine‐2,4,6‐triyl)tribenzoate (TATB^3?) anions, three complete bib ligands, one and a half free dimethylformamide molecules and three guest water molecules. Each Zn^II centre is four‐coordinated and displays a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry. The Zn^II centres are connected by TATB^3? anions to form an angled ladder chain with large windows. Simultaneously, the bib ligands link Zn^II centres to give a helical Zn–bib–Zn chain. Furthermore, adjacent ladders are bridged by Zn–bib–Zn chains to form a fascinating three‐dimensional self‐penetrated framework with the short Schläfli symbol 6⁵·7·8¹³·9·10. In addition, the luminescence properties of 1 in the solid state and the fluorescence sensing of metal ions in suspension were studied. Significantly, compound 1 shows potential application as a fluorescent sensor with sensing properties for Zr⁴⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions.     

Correlation of the solid‐state reactivities of racemic 2,4(6)‐di‐O‐benzoyl‐myo‐inositol 1,3,5‐orthoformate and its 4,4′‐bipyridine cocrystal with their crystal structures

Racemic 2,4(6)‐di‐O‐benzoyl‐myo‐inositol 1,3,5‐orthoformate, C₂₁H₁₈O₈, (1) , shows a very efficient intermolecular benzoyl‐group migration reaction in its crystals. However, the presence of 4,4′‐bipyridine molecules in its cocrystal, C₂₁H₁₈O₈·C₁₀H₈N₂, (1)·BP , inhibits the intermolecular benzoyl‐group transfer reaction. In (1) , molecules are assembled around the crystallographic twofold screw axis (b axis) to form a helical self‐assembly through conventional O—H...O hydrogen‐bonding interactions. This helical association places the reactive C6‐O‐benzoyl group (electrophile, El) and the C4‐hydroxy group (nucleophile, Nu) in proximity, with a preorganized El...Nu geometry favourable for the acyl transfer reaction. In the cocrystal (1)·BP , the dibenzoate and bipyridine molecules are arranged alternately through O—H...N interactions. The presence of the bipyridine molecules perturbs the regular helical assembly of the dibenzoate molecules and thus restricts the solid‐state reactivity. Hence, unlike the parent dibenzoate crystals, the cocrystals do not exhibit benzoyl‐transfer reactions. This approach is useful for increasing the stability of small molecules in the crystalline state and could find application in the design of functional solids.     

Synthesis and hierarchical superstructures of side‐chain liquid crystal polyacetylenes containing galactopyranoside end‐groups

Three kinds of chiral saccharide‐containing liquid crystalline (LC) acetylenic monomers were prepared by click reaction between 2‐azidoethyl‐2,3,4,6‐tetraacetyl‐β‐D ‐galactopyranoside and 1‐biphenylacetylene 4‐alkynyloxybenzoate. The obtained monomers were polymerized by WCl₆‐Ph₄Sn to form three side‐chain LC polyacetylenes containing 1‐[2‐(2,3,4,6‐tetraacetyl‐β‐D ‐galactopyranos‐1‐yl)‐ethyl]‐1H‐[1,2,3]‐triazol‐4′‐biphenyl 4‐alkynyloxybenzoate side groups. All monomers and polymers show a chiral smectic A phase. Self‐assembled hiearchical superstructures of the chiral saccharide‐containing LCs and LCPs in solution state were studied by field‐emission scanning electron microscopy. Because of the LC behavior, the LC molecules exhibit a high segregation strength for phase separation in dilute solution (THF/H₂O = 1:9 v/v). The self‐assembled morphology of LC monomers was dependent upon the alkynyloxy chain length. Increasing the alkynyloxy chain length caused the self‐assembled morphology to change from a platelet‐like texture ( LC‐6 ) to helical twists morphology ( LC‐11 and LC‐12 ). Furthermore, the helical twist morphological structure can be aligned on the polyimide rubbed glass substrate to form two‐dimensional ordered helical patterns. In contrast to LC monomers, the LCP‐11 self‐assembled into much more complicate morphologies, including nanospheres and helical nanofibers. These nanofibers are evolved from the helical cables ornamented with entwining nanofibers upon natural evaporation of the solution in a mixture with a THF/methanol ratio of 3:7. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 6596–6611, 2009     

Linear and star‐shaped POSS hybrid materials containing crystalline isotactic polystyrene chains

New crystalline nanostructured inorganic–organic hybrid materials containing isotactic polystyrene (iPS) are prepared by means of hydrosilylation coupling of vinyl‐terminated iPS with octakis(dimethylsilyloxy)silsesquioxane (Q₈M₈H). The number average molar mass of the iPS chains varies between 2000 and 6000 g mol^?1. As a function of the iPS/Q₈M₈H ratio, using excess reagent, the formation of linear or star‐shaped hybrid architectures is achieved. Via fractionation, it is possible to isolate well‐defined linear hybrids containing one iPS chain and seven ethyl groups per silica core (iPS‐Q₈M₈E₇) as well as star‐shaped hybrids containing up to eight iPS side chains (iPS_6‐8‐Q₈M₈). These new iPS/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane hybrid materials crystallize when the number average molar mass of iPS side chain exceeds 5500 g mol^?1. The hydrosilylation coupling reaction and the resulting linear iPS‐Q₈M₈E₇ and star‐shaped iPS_6‐8‐Q₈M₈ are characterized by NMR spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography (gel permeation chromatography), and polarized light microscopy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Fluoride anion sensing mechanism of a BODIPY‐linked hydrogen‐bonding probe

The sensing mechanism of a fluoride‐anion probe BODIPY‐amidothiourea ( 1c ) has been elucidated through the density functional theory (DFT) and time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. The theoretical study indicates that in the DMSO/water mixtures the fluorescent sensing has been regulated by the fluoride complex that formed between the probe 1c /two water molecules and the fluoride anion, and the excited‐state intermolecular hydrogen bond (H‐B) plays an important role in the fluoride sensing mechanism. In the first excited state, the H‐Bs of the fluoride complex 1cFH₂ are overall strengthened, which induces the weak fluorescence emission. In addition, molecular orbital analysis demonstrates that 1cFH₂ has more obvious intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) character in the S₁ state than 1cH₂ formed between the probe 1c and two water molecules, which also gives reason to the weaker fluorescence intensity of 1cFH₂ . Further, our calculated UV‐vis absorbance and fluorescence spectra are in accordance with the experimental measurements. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Elevation of the glass transition temperature in flexible‐chain semicrystalline polymers

In the idealized two‐phase model of a semicrystalline polymer, the amorphous intercrystalline layers are considered to have the same properties as the fully‐amorphous polymer. In reality, these thin intercrystalline layers can be substantially influenced by the presence of the crystals, as individual polymer molecules traverse both crystalline and amorphous phases. In polymers with rigid backbone units, such as poly(etheretherketone), PEEK, previous work has shown this coupling to be particularly severe; the glass transition temperature (T_g) can be elevated by tens of degrees celsius, with the magnitude of the elevation correlating directly with the thinness of the amorphous layer. However, this connection has not been explored for flexible‐chain polymers, such as those formed from vinyl‐type monomers. Here, we examine T_g in both isotactic polystyrene (iPS) and syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS), crystallized under conditions that produce a range of amorphous layer thicknesses. T_g is indeed shown to be elevated relative to fully‐amorphous iPS and sPS, by an amount that correlates with the thinness of the amorphous layer; the magnitude of the effect is severalfold less than that in PEEK, consistent with the minimum lengths of polymer chain required to make a fold in the different cases. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1198–1204, 2007     

Short Syntheses of some ‘Decalin‐1,8‐diones’ and their Derivatives: Breaking the Pretended Symmetry

A cheap synthesis of the so‐called ‘decalin‐1,8‐diones’ started with the conjugate (1,4‐) addition of cyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐one derivatives to the γ‐position of the dilithium derivative (buta‐1,3‐diene‐1,1‐bis(olate)) of crotonic acid. Hydrogenation of these ‘1,4‐γ’ adducts and final cyclization afforded the enol tautomers of decalin‐1,8‐diones. Nucleophilic substitutions at these 3‐oxoenols by NH₃ or primary amines created only monoamino products (namely, 3‐oxoenamines) whose reactions with OPCl₃ yielded dihydro(1,3,2)oxazaphosphinin‐2‐one derivatives. The two regioisomers of a trimethyl‐3‐oxoenamine served as models for the constitutional assignments of the two rapidly interconverting (hence, individually NMR‐invisible), tautomeric trimethyl‐3‐oxoenols. Such methyl substitutions served to break the ‘pretended’ symmetry of ‘decalin‐1,8‐dione’. Hydrazine and 3‐oxoenols furnished oxygen‐free indazole derivatives whose N?H bonds exchanged with t_1/2=ca. 0.00035 s at ca. ?58(9) °C.     

AIE Fluorescent Gelators with Thermo‐, Mechano‐, and Vapochromic Properties

A series of aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) fluorescent gelators (TPE‐C_n‐Chol) were synthesized by attaching tetraphenylethylene (TPE) to cholesterol through an alkyl chain. The properties of the gel, nano‐/microaggregate, and condensed phases were studied carefully. TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules form AIE fluorescent gels in acetone and in DMF. Their fluorescence can be reversibly switched between the “on” and “off” states by a gel–sol phase transition upon thermal treatment. The AIE properties of aggregated nano‐/microstructures in acetone/water mixtures with different water fractions were studied by using fluorescence spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In different acetone/water mixtures, the TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules formed different nano‐/microaggregates, such as rodlike crystallites and spherical nanoparticles that showed different fluorescence colors. Finally, the condensed phase behavior of TPE‐C_n‐Chol was studied by using polarizing microscopy (POM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), fluorescence spectrometry, fluorescence optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X ray scattering (WAXS). The clover‐shaped TPE unit introduced into the rodlike cholesterol mesogen inhibits not only the formation of a liquid‐crystal phase but also recrystallization upon cooling from the isotropic liquid phase. Very interestingly, TPE‐C_n‐Chol molecules in the condensed state change their fluorescence color under external stimuli, such as melting, grinding, and solvent fuming. The phase transition is the origin of these thermo‐, mechano‐, and vapochromic properties. These findings offer a simple and interesting platform for the creation of multistimuli‐responsive fluorescent sensors.     

Chiral crystals from an achiral molecule: 4,6‐di‐O‐benzyl‐1,3‐O‐benzylidene‐2‐O‐(4‐methoxybenzyl)‐myo‐5‐inosose

The title achiral compound, C₃₅H₃₄O₇, crystallizes in the chiral monoclinic space group P2₁. The molecules are densely packed to form a helical assembly along the crystallographic twofold screw axis via C—H...O and C—H...π interactions. Interestingly, the unit‐translated helical chains are loosely connected via a rather uncommon edge‐to‐edge Ph—H...H—Ph short contact (H...H = 2.33 Å).     

trans‐Decahydronaphthalene (decalin) from powder diffraction data

The title compound, C₁₀H₁₈, a decalin stereoisomer, crystallizes with Z′ = 0.5 in the space group P2₁/n. The trans‐decalin molecule is located on an inversion centre with both rings in a chair conformation, making for a quasi‐flat overall shape. Despite the absence of hydrogen bonds, it crystallizes easily. In this work the unknown crystal structure of trans‐decalin has been solved and refined using X‐ray powder diffraction data.     

Increasing the Size of an Aromatic Helical Foldamer Cavity by Strand Intercalation

The postsynthetic modulation of capsules based on helical aromatic oligoamide foldamers would be a powerful approach for controlling their receptor properties without altering the initial monomer sequences. With the goal of developing a method to increase the size of a cavity within a helix, a single‐helical foldamer capsule was synthesized with a wide‐diameter central segment that was designed to intercalate with a second shorter helical strand. Despite the formation of stable double‐helical homodimers (K_dim>10⁷ M ^?1) by the shorter strand, when it was mixed with the single‐helical capsule sequence, a cross‐hybridized double helix was formed with K_a>10⁵ M ^?1. This strategy makes it possible to direct the formation of double‐helical heterodimers. On the basis of solution‐ and solid‐state structural data, this intercalation resulted in an increase in the central‐cavity size to give a new interior volume of approximately 150 ų.