Methods of modulating hydrogen bonded interactions in synthetic host-guest systems

Hydrogen bonded interactions are among the most important non-covalent interactions in supramolecular chemistry. The strength, selectivity and directionality inherent in hydrogen bonding processes have allowed the creation of complex and efficient molecular hosts capable of selective binding to a wide variety of complementary guests. Major advances in controlling host-guest complexation have occurred in the last decade, principally through systematic modification of the electrostatic properties and/or geometry of the hosts, thereby fine-tuning the molecular recognition event. More recently, systems have been developed which allow the effectiveness and selectively of hydrogen bonding interactions to be reversibly modulated by an external stimulus, more accurately mimicking biological systems and providing building blocks for the construction of novel advanced materials, sensors and devices. In this review, we highlight some of the methods available for modulating the strength and selectivity of hydrogen bonded interactions in synthetic host-guest systems.     

Hierarchical assembly of a homochiral triple concentric helical system in a novel 3D supramolecular metal-organic framework: synthesis, crystal structure, and SHG properties

The hierarchical assembly of a homochiral triple concentric helical system in a novel 3D metal-organic framework with SHG activity has been observed. The result also provides a better understanding of host-guest chemistry and the process of water transport in biological systems.     

Controllable macrocyclic supramolecular assemblies in aqueous solution

A series of macrocycles, including crown ethers, cyclodextrins, calixarenes, pillararenes and cucurbiturils, are well known to be able to associate various organic/inorganic/biological guest molecules and ions in their well-defined cyclic cavities to form stable host-guest complexes and supramolecular systems through the cooperative contributions of various non-covalent interactions. When one or more functional groups are attached to the cavity of macrocycles or guest molecules, enhanced and/or controlled host-guest associations may take place, leading to not only improved host-guest binding abilities but also fascinating properties. In this review, some representative contributions in the construction of controllable macrocyclic supramolecular assemblies in aqueous solution are presented with an emphasis on the stimuli-responsive control manner and wide applications of this property.     

Enzyme-triggered model self-assembly in surfactant-cyclodextrin systems

We present here a host-guest approach to construct enzyme-triggered assembly systems on the basis of surfactant-cyclodextrin complexes and α-amylase. We realized enzyme-responsive model self-assembly systems including monolayers, micelles, and vesicles. The host-guest approach is expected to be extended to more complicated assembly systems with widespread applications.     

Photophysics of a cyanine dye within cyclodextrin cavity

The modulated photophysical and dynamical behavior of a potent anti-tumor photosensitizer 3,3^/-diethyloxadicarbocyanine iodide (DODCI) following host-guest inclusion complex formation with α-, β- and γ-Cyclodextrins (CDs) has been studied using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods. The cavity size of the CDs (α-CD <β-CD <γ-CD) is argued to play an instrumental role underlying the formation of the host-guest inclusion complex. While negligible interaction with α-CD is found to be succeeded by prominent quenching of monomeric fluorescence of the dye within β-CD and γ-CD with the degree of quenching being greater within γ-CD. The most appealing fact attained from the experimental results is the anticipation of dimer formation of DODCI within the large cavity of γ-CD which can entrap more than one molecule of DODCI. The steady-state results are found to be adequately corroborated by time-resolved fluorescence decay studies. Such encapsulation of the cyanine dye within the carrier cargo can be designed for targeted delivery inside biological systems.     

Binding affinities of host-guest, protein-ligand, and protein-transition-state complexes

The affinities of hosts-ranging from small synthetic cavitands to large proteins-for organic molecules are well documented. The average association constants for the binding of organic molecules by cyclodextrins, synthetic hosts, and albumins in water, as well as of catalytic antibodies or enzymes for substrates are 10(3.5+/-2.5) M(-1). Binding affinities are elevated to 10(8+/-2) M(-1) for the complexation of transition states and biological antigens by antibodies or inhibitors by enzymes, and to 10(16+/-4) M(-1) for transition states with enzymes. The origins of the distributions of association constants observed for the broad range of host-guest systems are explored in this Review, and typical approaches to compute and analyze host-guest binding in solution are discussed. In many classes of complexes a rough correlation is found between the binding affinity and the surface area that is buried upon complexation. Enzymes transcend this effect and achieve transition-state binding much greater than is expected from the surface areas.     

Visible-Light-Excited Room-Temperature Phosphorescence in Water by Cucurbit[8]uril-Mediated Supramolecular Assembly

Solid-state materials with efficient room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emissions have found widespread applications in materials science, while liquid or solution-phase pure organic RTP emission systems has been rarely reported, because of the nonradiative decay and quenchers from the liquid medium. Reported here is the first example of visible-light-excited pure organic RTP in aqueous solution by using a supramolecular host-guest assembly strategy. The unique cucurbit[8]uril-mediated quaternary stacking structure allows tunable photoluminescence and visible-light excitation, enabling the fabrication of multicolor hydrogels and cell imaging. The present assembly-induced emission approach, as a proof of concept, contributes to the construction of novel metal-free RTP systems with tunable photoluminescence in aqueous solution, providing broad opportunities for further applications in biological imaging, detection, optical sensors, and so forth.     

Advances in the study of the host-guest interaction by using coronene as the guest molecule

This review supplied direct insight of host-guest molecule system by using COR as the guest molecule.     

Triple-helix propensity of hydroxyproline and fluoroproline: comparison of host-guest and repeating tripeptide collagen models

Peptide models have proved important in defining the structural features of the collagen triple-helix. Some models are based on multiple repeats of a given tripeptide unit, while a host-guest design includes an individual tripeptide unit substituted within a constant repeating Pro-Hyp-Gly framework. In the present study, proline, hydroxyproline, and fluoroproline residues are incorporated in X- or Y-positions of a guest triplet in the host-guest peptide design. All host-guest peptides, including Hyp-Pro-Gly, formed stable triple-helices, even though a triple-helix cannot be formed by (Hyp-Pro-Gly)10. The order of stability Pro-Hyp-Gly > Pro-Pro-Gly > Hyp-Pro-Gly remains the same in all models, while the Pro-Flp-Gly is very stabilizing in a repeating context but destabilizing in a host-guest context. The range of thermal stabilities and calorimetric enthalpies is very small among the five host-guest peptides, consistent with the concept that the effect of one Xaa-Yaa-Gly tripeptide unit in the host-guest system would be less than the much larger variations when there are 10 repeating units. However, a simple additive model based on host-guest peptides predicts a greater stability than experimentally observed. The difference in stability contributions of the same tripeptide unit in host-guest versus repeating tripeptide systems illustrates the impact of sequence environment on stability, and factors that play a role include ring puckering as a consequence of electron inductive effects, residual monomer structure, and native state hydration networks.     

Fluorescence enhancement and cytotoxicity reduction of bis-viologen biphenyl by complexation of cucurbit[7]uril

The effect of cucurbit[7]uril(CB[7]) on fluorescence properties and biocompatibility of the bis-viologen biphenyl molecule(BPV2~(2+)) was investigated by using ~1 H NMR spectroscopy,fluorescence emission titration,and in vitro cytotoxicity experiments.CB[7] can be combined with BPV2~(2+) in a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 and 2:1.After the formation of host-guest complex,the fluorescence emission intensity of BPV2~(2+) increased significantly,and the emission spectrum blue shifted.Meanwhile,the host-guest complexes showed better biocompatibility than BPV2~(2+) in cell cytotoxicity studies.Results of this paper lay a foundation for the development of host-guest type of fluo rescent probes,biological imaging and so forth.     

Probing binding-mode diversity in guanidinium-oxoanion host-guest systems.

An attempt to experimentally estimate the role of binding-mode diversity (structural fuzziness) on the molecular recognition seen in the prominent guanidinium-oxoanion host-guest pair is described. The global heat response as measured by isothermal titration calorimetry in acetonitrile, which was obtained from the interaction of five different but structurally closely related guanidinium hosts with three rigid phosphinate guests of decreasing accessibility of their binding sites, is correlated to provide a trend analysis. All host-guest associations of 1:1 stoichiometry in this series are strongly enthalpy-driven. The change in complexation entropy can be related to the tightness of the mutual fit of the host-guest partners, which approaches a minimum limit and is interpreted as the unique lock-and-key binding mode. The ordinary host-guest complexation in this ensemble features substantial positive entropy changes that correlate inversely with the binding interface area. This finding excludes desolvation effects as the major cause of entropy production, and provides evidence for the existence of a broad variety of complex configurations rather than a single binding mode to represent the associated host-guest pair. This result bears on the molecular design of systems that vitally depend on structural fidelity, such as nanoassemblies or homogeneous catalysis.     

Ultralong organic room-temperature phosphorescence of electron-donating and commercially available host and guest molecules through efficient F?rster resonance energy transfer

Ultralong organic room-temperature phosphorescence(RTP) materials have attracted tremendous attention recently due to their diverse applications. Several ultralong organic RTP materials mimicking the host-guest architecture of inorganic systems have been exploited successfully. However, complicated synthesis and high expenditure are still inevitable in these studies. Herein, we develop a series of novel host-guest organic phosphorescence systems, in which all luminophores are electron-rich, commercially available and halogen-atom-free. The maximum phosphorescence efficiency and the longest lifetime could reach 23.6% and 362 ms, respectively. Experimental results and theoretical calculation indicate that the host molecules not only play a vital role in providing a rigid environment to suppress non-radiative decay of the guest, but also show a synergistic effect to the guest through F?rster resonance energy transfer(FRET). The commercial availability, facile preparation and unique properties also make these new host-guest materials an excellent candidate for the anti-counterfeiting application. This work will inspire researchers to develop new RTP systems with different wavelengths from commercially available luminophores.     

Sc3C2@C80与[12]CPP纳米环之间非共价相互作用的理论研究

金属富勒烯嵌套于纳米环内形成主客体系, 二者产生的主客体作用可诱导内部金属团簇的取向, 影响分子的电子结构等性质. 本文基于密度泛函理论(DFT)计算, 对碳纳米环[12]CPP(CPP=环苯撑, 主体分子)与金属富勒烯Sc₃C₂@C₈₀(客体分子)形成的主客体配合物的结构和性质进行了研究. 计算结果表明, 在最稳定构型中, [12]CPP呈现椭圆形, Sc₃C₂@C₈₀与[12]CPP的质心不再重合. Sc₃C₂@C₈₀在[12]CPP内旋转对构型总体能量影响仅为13.51 kJ/mol. [12]CPP向Sc₃C₂@C₈₀转移了0.03 e, 主客体分子之间存在弱相互作用. 对二者相互作用的分析结果表明, 色散作用在弱相互作用中占主导地位.     

Qualitative comparison between the quantum calculations and electrospray mass spectra o complexes of polyammonium macrotricyclic ligands with dicarboxylic acids

The host-guest interactions play a very important role in chemical and biological processes. It is therefore important to be able to characterize these complexes. Electrospray mass spectrometry can be used to characterize the complex formation. It provides information on the mass and the charge of these ionic complexes. In this article, we show that the use of ab initio and semiempirical calculations, in addition to the results obtained by electrospray mass spectrometry, reveal to be a promising tool for the study of these noncovalent complexes. In this article, host-guest complexes formed by macropolycyclic polyammonium host molecules and dicarboxylic acids are studied.     

稀土/L型沸石主-客体发光功能材料的研究进展

沸石微孔晶体材料作为客体功能物种的主体材料在主-客体组装化学中发挥着越来越重要的作用,在微型激光器、非线性光学、生物成像、光放大及光显示等高技术领域已显示出广阔、诱人的发展前景.本文介绍国内外,特别是河北工业大学在稀土/L型沸石主-客体杂化功能材料的组装、结构及其发光性能的研究工作,具体包括：稀土有机配合物在L沸石孔道内的组装、L型沸石-有机高分子透明杂化发光材料的制备及稀土有机配合物诱导控制的L型沸石自组装等.此外,本文对稀土/L型沸石主-客体杂化发光功能材料的研究进行了展望.     

Molecular dynamics of host-guest complexes of small gas molecules with calix[4]arenes

The unexpected sorption of gases by a low-density p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene crystal polymorph raises fundamental questions about differential gas transport and sequestration in the organic solid state. To gain insight into the processes underlying these observations, we have used molecular dynamics simulations, augmented with calculations of potentials of mean force, to investigate the stability of isolated host-guest complexes and the relationship between the dynamics of these complexes and the dynamics of a solvated host molecule. Thermal fluctuations of the calixarenes themselves are found to be consistent with proposed mechanisms for gas entry into the host cavities, while relative host-guest stabilities correlate well with experimental absorption-desorption isotherms in some cases (CO2 and CH4) but not in others (C2H2). In these isolated systems, stable complexes characteristically form when the attractive interactions of the guest with the ring of negative charge density on the inner surface of the host cavity are not disrupted by thermal motion. The experimentally observed efficient uptake of gases such as C2H2 by the host crystals suggests, however, that stabilization of host-guest complexes in some systems may derive from dynamical constraints imposed by the crystal lattice.     

Dynamic multivalent recognition of cyclodextrin vesicles

Cyclodextrin bilayer vesicles have dynamic membranes that recognize guest molecules through efficient multivalent host-guest interaction reminiscent of multivalent binding of a ligand with receptors in a biological membrane.     

Polysaccharide-based supramolecular drug delivery systems mediated via host-guest interactions of cucurbiturils

With excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability,natural polysaccharides and their derivative s have exhibited great potential in constructing drug delivery ve hicles for tissue engineering and therapeutics.Cucurbit[n]uril(CB [n])-mediated reversible crosslinking of polysaccharides possess intrinsic stimuliresponsiveness towards competitive guests and have been extensively investigated to fabricate various particles and hydrogels for multiple stimuli-re sponsive drug release by incorpo ration with other stimuli including photo,redox,and enzyme.Through host-guest interactions between CB[6] and aliphatic diamines,functional tags covalently connected with CB[6] can be readily anchored into polysaccharidebased hydrogels,realizing multiple functionalization.The rheological prope rty and drug release profile of polysaccharide-based supramolecular hydrogels can be facilely tuned through CB [8]-mediated dyna mic homo or hetero crosslinking of polysaccharides and/or other polymers.In this review,we introduce and summarize recent progress regarding polysaccharide-based supramolecular drug delivery systems mediated via host-guest interactions of CB[6] and CB[8],covering both bulk hydrogels and particular systems.At the end,possible utilization of CB[7]-based host-guest interactions in constructing polysaccharide-based drug delivery systems and future perspectives of this research direction are also discussed.     

Ultrafast photodynamics of drugs in nanocavities: cyclodextrins and human serum albumin protein

In this feature article, we discuss recent advances in studying ultrafast dynamic and structural aspects of host-guest interactions. Steady-state and time-resolved techniques exploring events from the femto- to nanosecond regime were used to examine the ultrafast photodynamics and subsequent events in selected nanostructures of the formed complexes. These consist of aromatic systems, biologically relevant molecules, and drugs trapped within cyclodextrins (CD) and human serum albumin (HSA) protein pockets. We examine the effects exerted by these chemical and biological cavitands on internal twisting motions, proton transfer and charge transfer, and cis-trans isomerization reactions that may occur in the confined molecular systems. In addition, the influence of a restricting environment on the interaction of guest molecules with biological water is considered. The dynamic details of the complexes (diffusion, early interactions, formation, stability, internal guest diffusion, and conformational changes) and the excited-state relaxation pathways, rate constants of the involved processes, and changes in the electronic distribution within encapsulated guests gave clues to elucidate their photobehavior and are relevant to the photostability and delivery of drugs when using nanocarriers.     

功能化的无机复合体系

通过化学物理相互作用将不同组分进行复合可以形成各种各样的复合体系。如果体系中的组分均为无机物或以无机物为主则相应的复合体系称为无机复合体系。通过对组成、结构及形貌等进行设计与调控,可以赋予无机复合体系独特的性质和功能。常见的无机复合体系主要包括主-客体复合物、配位聚合物以及各种纳米复合体系等。这些无机复合体系的功能化对新材料及新能源的开发和利用具有重要意义。本文综述了各种新型无机复合体系的最新研究进展,总结了本课题组在无机复合体系及其功能化的设计与开发方面取得的最新结果,并对功能化的无机复合体系作为新型材料的应用进行了展望。