Aqueous Anion Receptors through Reduction of Subcomponent Self‐Assembled Structures

To prepare new functional covalent architectures that are difficult to synthesize using conventional organic methods, we developed a strategy that employs metal–organic assemblies as precursors, which are then reduced and demetalated. The host–guest chemistry of the larger receptor thus prepared was studied using NMR spectroscopy and fluorescence experiments. This host was observed to strongly bind aromatic polyanions in water, including the fluorescent dye molecule pyranine with nanomolar affinity, thus allowing for the design of an indicator‐displacement assay.     

基于酰腙和酚羟基的阴离子受体的合成及其在含水介质中的阴离子比色识别性能

设计合成了一系列基于羟基和氨基的酰腙类受体分子.利用紫外-可见吸收光谱及1HNMR考察了其与F-,Cl-,Br-,I-,CH3COO-,H2PO4?,HSO4?,ClO?4等阴离子的作用.结果表明,该类受体分子在DMSO溶液中能较好地比色识别F-,CH3COO-,H2PO4?,其中受体2在含水介质中[V(DMSO)∶V(H2O)=7∶3]能选择性比色识别CH3COO-.1HNMR滴定实验研究了受体分子与阴离子之间的作用,结果表明受体分子与阴离子之间以氢键作用方式相结合.     

Azulene‐Based Macrocyclic Receptors for Recognition and Sensing of Phosphate Anions

Herein we report the synthesis and detailed studies of the anion‐binding properties of two 20‐membered macrocyclic tetramide receptors: one symmetrical, containing two identical azulene‐based bisamide units, the other a hybrid, containing a dipicolinic bisamide unit and an azulene‐based bisamide unit. Analysis of the crystal structures of the macrocyclic receptors revealed their preference for adopting similar well‐preorganized bent‐sheet conformations, both as free receptors and in their complexes with anions. Studies of the optical properties of both receptors revealed abilities to selectively sense phosphate anions (H₂PO₄^?, HP₂O₇^3?), allowing for naked‐eye detection of the presence of these guests in DMSO. Binding studies in solution confirmed that the receptors bind strongly to a series of anions even in highly demanding media, such as mixtures of DMSO with water or with methanol. Comparison of the anion affinity of linear analogues with that of the macrocyclic receptors evidenced the importance of macrocyclic topology. Quantitative analysis revealed that the macrocyclic receptors are selective for H₂PO₄^? over other anions. The affinity to H₂PO₄^? seen for the symmetrical receptor, containing two azulene‐based subunits, is much higher than for the hybrid macrocycle containing both the azulene‐based and pyridine‐derived subunits. This highlights that the azulene‐based building block serves efficiently as both a binding site and a structure‐preorganizing motif.     

硫脲类阴离子受体的研究进展

阴离子识别是超分子化学研究的重要内容之一,其关键环节是构筑可识别阴离子的结合受体,后者以非共价键力如静电作用、疏水作用、氢键等与阴离子结合.本文详细评述了近5年来硫脲类阴离子识别受体的设计、结构及其阴离子识别作用的研究进展.     

基于偶氮苯酚类的比色传感器识别阴离子

设计合成了3个含酚羟基数量不同的偶氮苯化合物S1、S2和S3作为传感分子,研究S1、S2和S3对阴离子的比色识别,并探讨传感分子的结构与识别阴离子能力之间的联系。 结果表明:传感分子S1、S2和S3对F^-、H₂PO4-和AcO^-比色识别灵敏度高。 在CH₃CN中S1、S2和S3的F^-检测限达到1.25×10^-73.62×10^-7 mol/L,S2、S3对H₂PO4-和AcO^-的检测限也达同一数量级。 S1、S2和S3对阴离子F^-、H₂PO4-和AcO^-比色识别能力取决于阴离子的空间构型、电荷密度和碱性共同作用的结果。 ¹H NMR滴定结果表明,识别机理是S1、S2和S3的酚羟基与阴离子形成了分子间的氢键。     

Self‐Assembled Vesicles with Functionalized Membranes

Biological membranes play a key role for the function of living organisms. Thus, many artificial systems have been designed to mimic natural cell membranes and their functions. A useful concept for the preparation of functional membranes is the embedding of synthetic amphiphiles into vesicular bilayers. The dynamic nature of such noncovalent assemblies allows the rapid and simple development of bio‐inspired responsive nanomaterials, which find applications in molecular recognition, sensing or catalysis. However, the complexity that can be achieved in artificial functionalized membranes is still rather limited and the control of their dynamic properties and the analysis of membrane structures down to the molecular level remain challenging.     

Mimicking Biological Membranes with Programmable Glycan Ligands Self‐Assembled from Amphiphilic Janus Glycodendrimers

An accelerated modular synthesis produced 18 amphiphilic Janus glycodendrimers with three different topologies formed from either two or one carbohydrate head groups or a mixed constellation with a noncarbohydrate hydrophilic arm. By simple injection of their THF solutions into water or buffer, all of the Janus compounds self‐assembled into uniform, stable, and soft unilamellar vesicles, denoted glycodendrimersomes. The mixed constellation topology glycodendrimersomes were demonstrated to be most efficient in binding plant, bacterial, and human lectins. This evidence with biomedically relevant receptors offers a promising perspective for the application of such glycodendrimersomes in targeted drug delivery, vaccines, and other areas of nanomedicine.     

Pattern‐Based Recognition of Heparin Contaminants by an Array of Self‐Assembling Fluorescent Receptors

Tracking down potential killers : Strong host–guest interactions enable the facile combination of polycationic cyclodextrin binding motifs (blue) with fluorescent reporters (orange) tethered to a hydrophobic guest molecule (dark green). An array of supramolecular fluorescent receptors prepared by this modular approach was used for the pattern‐based recognition of negatively charged contaminants in the anticoagulant drug heparin.

     

Desymmetrization of an Octahedral Coordination Complex Inside a Self‐Assembled Exoskeleton

The synthesis of a centrally functionalized, ribbon‐shaped [6]polynorbornane ligand L that self‐assembles with Pd^II cations into a {Pd₂ L ₄} coordination cage is reported. The shape‐persistent {Pd₂ L ₄} cage contains two axial cationic centers and an array of four equatorial H‐bond donors pointing directly towards the center of the cavity. This precisely defined supramolecular environment is complementary to the geometry of classic octahedral complexes [M(XY)₆] with six diatomic ligands. Very strong binding of [Pt(CN)₆]^2? to the cage was observed, with the structure of the host–guest complex {[Pt(CN)₆]@Pd₂L₄} supported by NMR spectroscopy, MS, and X‐ray data. The self‐assembled shell imprints its geometry on the encapsulated guest, and desymmetrization of the octahedral platinum species by the influence of the D_4h‐symmetric second coordination sphere was evidenced by IR spectroscopy. [Fe(CN)₆]^3? and square‐planar [Pt(CN)₄]^2? were strongly bound. Smaller octahedral anions such as [SiF₆]^2?, neutral carbonyl complexes ([M(CO)₆]; M=Cr, Mo, W) and the linear [Ag(CN)₂]^? anion were only weakly bound, showing that both size and charge match are key factors for high‐affinity binding.     

Crosslinkable Vesicles Self‐Assembled by Amphiphilic Hyperbranched Polyester

Summary: Amphiphilic hyperbranched polyester (H20‐AM) with methacrylate end groups was synthesized based on hyperbranched aliphatic polyester (Boltorn™ H20). Narrow‐dispersed crosslinkable vesicles were obtained by dissolving H20‐AM in water, and characterized by laser light scattering and TEM. The hollow structural vesicle is composed of around 350 H20‐AM molecules, having a radius of around 40 nm and of 1.9 × 10⁶ g · mL⁻¹. The vesicles were fixed by crosslinking of methacrylate groups to form shape‐persistent structures.

TEM images of the crosslinked vesicles at lower magnification.     

芳酰基硫脲受体的合成及对阴离子识别研究

设计合成了3种芳酰基硫脲受体分子. 利用紫外-可见吸收光谱考察了其与F^－, Cl^－, Br^－, AcO^－, HSO₄^－, H₂PO₄^－等阴离子的作用. 结果表明该类受体分子与阴离子形成氢键配合物. 加入F^－, AcO^－时, 溶液立刻由无色变为黄色, 而加入其它阴离子则无变化, 从而实现对这两种阴离子的裸眼识别. 结果表明受体分子与阴离子间形成1∶1型的配合物. ¹H NMR滴定及质子溶剂效应为受体分子与阴离子间的氢键作用本质提供了直接依据.     

Self‐Assembled Discrete Molecules for Sensing Nitroaromatics

Efficient sensing of trace amount nitroaromatic (NAC) explosives has become a major research focus in recent time due to concerns over national security as well as their role as environment pollutants. NO₂‐containing electron‐deficient aromatic compounds, such as picric acid (PA), trinitrotoluene (TNT), and dinitrotoluene (DNT), are the common constituents of many commercially available chemical explosives. In this article, we have summarized our recent developments on the rational design of electron‐rich self‐assembled discrete molecular sensors and their efficacy in sensing nitroaromatics both in solution as well as in vapor phase. Several π‐electron‐rich fluorescent metallacycles (squares, rectangles, and tweezers/pincers) and metallacages (trigonal and tetragonal prisms) have been synthesized by means of metal–ligand coordination‐bonding interactions, with enough internal space to accommodate electron‐deficient nitroaromatics at the molecular level by multiple supramolecular interactions. Such interactions subsequently result in the detectable fluorescence quenching of sensors even in the presence of trace quantities of nitroaromatics. The fascinating sensing characteristics of molecular architectures discussed in this article may enable future development of improved sensors for nitroaromatic explosives.     

pH‐Switchable Self‐Assembled Materials

Self‐assembled materials, which are able to respond to external stimuli, have been extensively studied over the last decades. A particularly exciting stimulus for a wide range of biomedical applications is the pH value of aqueous solutions, since deprotonation‐protonation events are crucial for structural and functional properties of biopolymers. In living cells and tissues, intra‐ and extracellular pH values are stringently regulated, but can deviate from pH neutral as observed for example in tumorous, inflammatory sites, in endocytic pathways, and specific cellular compartments. By using a pH‐switch as a stimulus, it is thereby possible to address specific targets in order to cause a programmed response of the supramolecular material. This strategy has not only been successfully applied in fundamental research but also in clinical studies. In this feature article, current strategies that have been used in order to design materials with pH‐responsive properties are illustrated. This discussion only addresses selected examples from the last four years, the self‐assembly of polymer‐based building blocks, assemblies emerging from small molecules including surfactants or derived from biological macromolecules, and finally the controlled self‐assembly of oligopeptides.

     

阴离子生色传感器基于质子转移机理

带有酚羟基的化合物1,2和3能够用作阴离子选择性生色传感器.它们对氟离子和醋酸根离子表现出明显的颜色变化,而对其它卤素离子没有响应.这种选择性可以用质子转移机理来解释.化合物1 含有两个酚羟基,在和过量的氟离子作用时,两个酚羟基表现为逐步去质子化.紫外光谱,核磁氢谱,核磁氟谱证明了这一点.