Self-assembly of a neutral luminescent Au(12) cluster with D(2) symmetry

The preparation and characterization of luminescent neutral Au(12) shuttle-like complexes is reported which shows a cyclic framework consisting of twelve gold(i) ions arranged in a closed ring via non-covalent Au(i)Au(i) interactions to give a chiral D(2) symmetrical structure.     

Self-assembly of molecular prisms via an organometallic "clip"

[reaction: see text] Under the appropriate conditions, the combination of two tritopic pyridyl ligands with three metal-containing molecular "clips" spontaneously generates supramolecular coordination cages with trigonal prismatic frameworks.     

Self-assembly of rectangles and prisms via a molecular "clip"

Aromatic molecular "clips" bearing two symmetrically bound platinum moieties have been prepared. The molecular "clip" 4 readily self-assembled with linear linkers such as 4,4'-bipyridyl, 1,4-bis[2-(4-isocyano-3,5-diisopropylphenyl)ethynyl]benzene, and nicotinic acid to form molecular rectangles. The overall dimensions of the rectangle 7 were 7.3 Angstroms x 15.3 Angstroms. The molecular "clip" also self-assembled with tritopic pyridyl and isocyanide ligands to form trigonal prismatic frameworks. The characterization of the supramolecules by multinuclear NMR, electrospray mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystal structures is also reported.     

Self-assembly and molecular recognition of a luminescent gold rectangle

A luminescent molecular rectangle [Au(4)(micro-PAnP)(2)(micro-bipy)(2)](OTf)(4) (1.(OTf)(4)) (PAnP = 9,10-bis(diphenylphosphino)anthracene, bipy = 4,4'-bipyridine, X = NO(3)(-) or OTf(-)), synthesized from the self-assembly of the molecular "clip" Au(2)(micro-PAnP)(OTf)(2) and bipy, shows a large rectangular cavity of 7.921(3) x 16.76(3) A. The electronic absorption and emission spectroscopy, and electrochemistry of the metallacyclophane, have been studied. The 1(4+) ions are self-assembled into 2D mosaic in the solid state via complementary edge-to-face interactions between the Ph groups. (1)H NMR titrations ratify the 1:1 complexation between 1(4+) and various aromatic molecules. Comparing the structures of the inclusion complexes indicates an induced-fit mechanism operating in the binding. The emission of 1(4+) is quenched upon the guest binding. The binding constants are determined by both (1)H NMR and fluorescence titrations. Solvophobic and ion-dipole effects are shown to be important in stabilizing the inclusion complexes.     

Molecular recognition. Self-assembly of molecular trigonal prisms and their host-guest adducts

Two supramolecular trigonal prisms, each bearing three molecular clefts are shown to form 1:6 and 1:7 host-guest complexes with 9-methylanthracene and one of the prisms forms a 1:2 host-guest complex with a tritopic tri-anthracene guest that registers with the recognition sites of the host.     

Self-assembly of highly luminescent lanthanide complexes promoted by pyridine-tetrazolate ligands

Two tridentate pyridine-tetrazolate ligands (H(2)pytz and H(2)pytzc), analogues of the well-known dipicolinate (H(2)dpa) ligand, have been synthesized in a straightforward manner and used for lanthanide(III) coordination. The structures of the resulting tris-ligand complexes were determined in solution ((1)H-NMR), where they remain undissociated, as well as in the solid state (X-ray diffraction). The solubility of these anionic complexes can be easily tuned by changing the countercation. The bis-tetrazolate-pyridine ligand H(2)pytz sensitizes very efficiently both the visible and near-IR emission of the lanthanides, with unusually high luminescence quantum yields in solid state (61% and 65% for Eu and Tb, respectively, and 0.21% for Nd) and in water (63% for Tb and 18% for Eu). Furthermore, the absorption window of the complexes is significantly extended towards the visible region up to 330 nm. The results show that the bis-tetrazolate-pyridine ligand provides a very attractive alternative to the classic dipicolinate ligand.     

Self-assembly luminescent heteroheptanuclear complexes with metal diphosphine and metal thiolate as components

Self-assembly between the building blocks [M2(mu-dppm)2(MeCN)2]2+ (M = Cu or Ag; dppm = bis(diphenylphosphino)methane) and M'(aet)2 (aet = 2-aminoethanethiolate) afforded luminescent heterohepta-nuclear complexes [Cu4M'3(mu-dppm)3(mu 3-aet)4(mu-aet)2]4+ (M' = Ni 1; Pd 2) or heterotrinuclear complexes [Ag2M'(mu-dppm)2(mu-aet)2]2+ (M' = Ni 3, Pd 4).     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of neutral luminescent rhenium-based molecular rectangles

A series of neutral luminescent molecular rectangles [[Re(CO)(3)(mu-bpy)Br][Re(CO)(3)(mu-L)Br]](2) (1-4) having fac-Re(CO)(3)Br as corners and 4,4'-bipyridine (bpy) as the bridging ligand on one side and other bipyridyl ligands of varying length (L) on the other side have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of 1 shows a rectangular cavity with the dimensions of 11.44 x 7.21 A. When the cavity size is tuned from 1 to 4, a dimension of 11.4 x 20.8 A could be achieved, as revealed by the molecular modeling. These rectangles exhibit luminescence in solution at room temperature. In particular, compound 4 containing 1,4-bis(4'-pyridylethynyl)benzene (bpeb) as bridging ligand shows the excited-state lifetime of 495 ns. Fine-tuning of the cavity size of the rectangles improves their excited-state properties. These properties facilitate the study of excited-state electron-transfer reactions with electron acceptors and donors and host-guest binding. Crystallographic information: 1.6CH(3)COCH(3) is monoclinic, P2(1)/c, with a = 12.0890(2), b = 24.2982(2), and c = 12.8721(2) A, beta = 107.923(1) degrees, and Z = 2.     

Self-assembly of neutral platinum-based supramolecular ensembles incorporating oxocarbon dianions and oxalate

Five neutral platinum-based macrocycles incorporating cyclic oxocarbondianions, squarate and croconate and their acyclic analogue, oxalate, have been synthesized in 90-95% yield via self-assembly. The combination of the diplatinum molecular clip with all three dianions afforded molecular rectangles, whereas a platinum-based 60 degrees acceptor unit produced a supramolecular rhomboid with croconate ion but a triangle with squarate ion. In all cases, multinuclear NMR spectra were consistent with the formation of single highly symmetrical species. The three rectanglular and the rhomboid assemblies were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The triangular species was characterized by FAB mass spectrometry.     

Ligand-directed molecular architectures: self-assembly of two-dimensional rectangular metallacycles and three-dimensional trigonal or tetragonal prisms

Three angular ditopic ligands (1,3-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)-4,6-dimethylbenzene L(1), 1,3-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene L(2), and 1,4-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,3,5,6-tetramethylbenzene L(3)) and one tripodal ligand 1,3,5-tris(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene L(4) have been prepared. Reaction of these shape-specific designed ligands with different metal salts affords a series of discrete molecular architectures: [Ag(2)L(1)(2)](BF(4))(2) 1, [Ag(2)L(2)(2)](CF(3)SO(3))(2) 2, [CF(3)SO(3)(-) subset Ag(2)L(3)(2)]CF(3)SO(3) 3, [CF(3)SO(3)(-) subset Ag(2)L(3)(3)]CF(3)SO(3) 4, [ClO(4)(-) subset Cu(2)L(2)(4)](ClO(4))(3) 5, [4H(2)O subset Ni(2)L(2)(4)Cl(4)].6H(2)O 6, [BF(4)(-) subset Ag(3)L(4)(2)](BF(4))(2) 7, [ClO(4)(-) subset Ag(3)L(4)(2)](ClO(4))(2) 8, and [CuI(3)(2-) subset Cu(3)L(4)(2)](2)[Cu(2)I(4)] 9. The compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, ESI-MS, IR, and NMR spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. 1 is a dinuclear metallacycle with 2-fold rotational symmetry in which two syn-conformational L(1) ligands are connected by two linearly coordinated Ag(+) ions. 2 and 3 are structurally related, consisting of rectangular structures assembled from two linearly coordinated Ag(+) ions and two L(2) or L(3) ligands. The structure of 4 is a trigonal prismatic box consisting of two Ag(+) ions in trigonal planar coordination linked by three L(3) ligands, while the structures of 5 and 6 are tetragonal prismatic cages constructed by two square planar Cu(2+) or Ni(2+) ions linked by four L(2) ligands. The topologies of 7-9 are similar to that of 4; however, these three structures are assembled from three linearly coordinated Ag(+) or Cu(+) ions and two tripodal ligands, representing an alternative strategy to assembling a trigonal prism. (1)H NMR and ESI-MS were utilized to elucidate the solution structures of these macrocycles.     

Self-assembly of luminescent Sn(IV)/Cu/S clusters using metal thiolates as metalloligands

Through the use of (Bu4N)2[Sn3S4(edt)3] (edt=SCH2CH2S(2-)) and Sn(SPh)4 as metalloligands, three neutral compounds have been obtained: [(Ph3P) 2Cu] 2SnS(edt)(2).2CH2Cl2.H2O (1a), [(Ph3P) 2Cu]2SnS(edt)2.2DMF.H2O (1b), and [(Ph3P)Cu] 2Sn(SPh)(6).3H 2O (2). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies revealed that compounds 1a and 1b contain the same neutral butterfly-like [(Ph3P)2Cu]2SnS(edt)2 cluster, which consists of one central SnS 5 dreich trigonal bipyramid sharing one vertex and two sides with two slightly distorted CuS 2P2 tetrahedrons. Compound 2 has a linear [(Ph3P)Cu]2Sn(SPh)6 cluster that is composed of a central distorted SnS 6 octahedron sharing two opposite planes with two slightly distorted CuS 3P tetrahedrons. Compound 1a exhibited an emission at 568 nm (tau=12.86 micros) in the solid state, while in CH 2Cl 2 solution, 1a exhibited a green emission at 534 nm (tau=4.75 micros). Compound 2 showed an intense red emission at 696 nm (tau=3.64 micros) upon excitation at 307 nm in the solid state.     

Self-assembly and redox modulation of the cavity size of an unusual rectangular iron thiolate aryldiisocyanide metallocyclophane

The decarbonylation reaction of ferric carbonyl dicationic [Cp(2)Fe(2)(μ-SEt)(2)(CO)(2)](BF(4))(2) [1(BF(4))(2)] carried out in refluxing acetonitrile affords a binuclear iron-sulfur core complex [Cp(2)Fe(2)(μ-SEt)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)](BF(4))(2) [2(BF(4))(2)] containing two acetonitrile coordinated ligands. The treatment of 2(BF(4))(2) with 2 equiv of the 1,4-diisocyanobenzene (1,4-CNC(6)H(4)NC) results in the formation of the diisocyanide complex [Cp(2)Fe(2)(μ-SEt)(2)(1,4-CNC(6)H(4)NC)(2)](BF(4))(2) [3(BF(4))(2)]. The rectangular tetranuclear iron thiolate aryldiisocyanide metallocyclophane complex [Cp(4)Fe(4)(μ-SEt)(4)(μ-1,4-CNC(6)H(4)NC)(2)](BF(4))(4) [4(BF(4))(4)] has been synthesized by a self-assembly reaction between equimolar amounts of 2(BF(4))(2) and 1,4-diisocyanobenzene or by a stepwise route involving mixing of a 1:1 molar ratio of complexes 2(BF(4))(2) and 3(BF(4))(2). Chemical reduction of 4(BF(4))(4) by KC(8) was observed to produce the reduction product 4(BF(4))(2). The spectroscopic and electrochemical properties of the iron-sulfur core complexes 1(PF(6))(2), 3(BF(4))(2), 4(BF(4))(4), and 4(BF(4))(2) were determined. Finally, differences between the redox control cavities of rectangular tetranuclear iron thiolate aryldiisocyanide complexes are revealed by a comparison of the X-ray crystallographically determined structures of complexes 4(BF(4))(4) and 4(BF(4))(2).     

Self-assembly of luminescent ternary complexes between seven-coordinate lanthanide(III) complexes and chromophore bearing carboxylates and phosphonates

Luminescent lanthanide complexes have been prepared by exploiting the interaction between lanthanide DO3A complexes and chromophore bearing carboxylates or phosphonates. This interaction can be utilised to probe the choice of sensitising chromophore suited to a given lanthanide. Furthermore, ternary complexes obtained from chromophore appended carboxylates dissociate in the presence of phosphate, while those obtained from phosphonates do not.     

Synthesis and characterization of neutral luminescent diphosphine pyrrole- and indole-aldimine copper(I) complexes

Heteroleptic copper(I) complexes of the types [Cu(N,N)(P,P)] and [Cu(N,O)(P,P)], where (P,P) = phosphine (PPh(3)) or diphosphine (dppb, DPEPHOS, XANTPHOS), (N,N) = pyrrole-2-phenylcarbaldimine, 2PyN: [Cu(2PyN)(PPh(3))(2)] (1), [Cu(2PyN) (dppb)] (2), [Cu(2PyN)(DPEPHOS)] (3), and [Cu(2PyN)(XANTPHOS)] (4), (N,N) = indole-2-phenylcarbaldimine, 2IndN: [Cu(2IndN)(DPEPHOS)] (8), and (N,O) = pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde, 2PyO: [Cu(2PyO)(DPEPHOS)] (5), [Cu(2PyO)(XANTPHOS)] (6), or (N,O) = indole-2-carboxaldehyde, 2IndO: [Cu(2IndO)(DPEPHOS)] (7), were synthesized and characterized by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, electronic absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography (1-3, 5-8). The complexes with aldimine ligands are thermally stable, and sublimation of 2-4 was possible at T = 230-250 °C under vacuum. All complexes exhibit long-lived emission in solution, in the solid state, and in frozen glasses. The excited states have been assigned as mixed intraligand and metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3)(MLCT + π-π*) transitions through analysis of the photophysical properties and DFT calculations on representative examples.     

Self-assembly of neutral and cationic PdII organometallic molecular rectangles: synthesis, characterization and nitroaromatic sensing

Design and synthesis of three novel [2 + 2] self-assembled molecular rectangles 1-3via coordination driven self-assembly of predesigned Pd(ii) ligands is reported. 1,8-Diethynylanthracene was assembled with trans-Pd(PEt(3))(2)Cl(2) in the presence of CuCl catalyst to yield a neutral rectangle 1via Pd-C bond formation. Complex 1 represents the first example of a neutral molecular rectangle obtained via C-Pd coordination driven self-assembly. A new Pd(2)(II) organometallic building block with 180° bite-angle 1,4-bis[trans-(ethynyl)Pd(PEt(3))(2)(NO(3))]benzene (M(2)) containing ethynyl functionality was synthesized in reasonable yield by employing Sonagashira coupling reaction. Self-assembly of M(2) with two organic clip-type donors (L(2)-L(3)) afforded [2 + 2] self-assembled molecular rectangles 2 and 3, respectively [L(2) = 1,8-bis(4-pyridylethynyl)anthracene; L(3) = 1,3-bis(3-pyridyl)isophthalamide]. The macrocycles 1-3 were fully characterized by multinuclear NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopic techniques, and in case of 1 the structure was unambiguously determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Incorporation of Pd-ethynyl bonds helped to make the assemblies π-electron rich and fluorescent in nature. Complexes 1-2 showed quenching of fluorescence intensity in solution in presence of nitroaromatics, which are the chemical signatures of many commercially available explosives.     

Self-assembly of a luminescent zinc(II) complex: a supramolecular host-guest fluorescence signaling system for selective nitrobenzene inclusion

A luminescent Zn(II) complex, [Zn(bpy)(aba)2] (1) {bpy = 2,2'-bipyridyl and aba = 4-dimethylaminobenzoate} has been synthesized as a white solid. Complex 1 shows unusually high selectivity toward nitrobenzene in the presence of other organic guests in solution, as well as in the vapor phase, resulting in both a dramatic color change and a concomitant quenching of luminescence. When crystallized from nitrobenzene, 1 affords deep red crystals with the composition [Zn(bpy)(aba)2] x C6H5NO2 (2) as a hydrogen-bonded channel structure via unusual intermolecular C-H...C(sp3) and H...H interactions. Inside the channels, nitrobenzene molecules form infinite polar linear tapes through strong C-H...O interactions in a head-to-tail fashion. The desorption and resorption of nitrobenzene can be achieved in a thermally reversible manner that can be monitored by X-ray powder diffraction patterns.     

Self-assembly via ionic interactions of calix[6]arene-based receptors displaying remarkable host-guest properties toward neutral guests

The association of a C_3v-symmetrical calix[6]tris-amine with different concave tris-carboxylic acids of various degrees of flexibility has been explored by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In all cases, self-assembled structures directed by the selective inclusion of a neutral guest molecule were obtained, the more preorganized being stable in protic solvents. With a rigid C₃-symmetrical cap, chiral guest recognition in the calixarene cavity resulted. A large tris-acidic partner gave a unique molecular ditopic receptor that is able to simultaneously accommodate two neutral molecules in two distinct hydrophobic cavities with different binding processes.     

Self-assembly of a ferrocene-substituted porphyrin capable of electrochemically sensing neutral molecules via a "tail on-tail off" process

The supramolecular assembly of a ferrocene-porphyrin conjugate allowed ferrocene-based electrochemical sensing of the metalloporphyrin axial coordination via a "tail on-tail off" binding process.