Synthesis,structure and catalysis/applications of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-heterocyclic carbene based on macrocycles

It is well-recognized that N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) ligands have provided a new dimension to the design of catalysts. Macrocyclic molecules are a class of material chemistry and have served as the synthetic hosts, and molecular recognition. In recent years, researchers have moved toward fabricating interlocking molecules with specific structures and properties. Therefore, researchers have developed more macrocycles complex based NHCs with multi-complexation modes that provide more diverse host–guest systems. In this account, this review highlights recent advances on synthesis, structure and applications of NHC based on macrocycles. According to the structure of different macrocycles, the complexes can be divided into four parts: (i) complexes of NHC based on crown ether; (ii) complexes of NHC based on porphyrin; (iii) complexes of NHC based on calixarene; (iv) complexes of NHC based on the other macrocycles. The complexes showed good coordination ability with different metal ions and showed excellent catalyst activity and optical ability.     

Stable silica gel-bound crown ethers. Selective separation of metal ions and a potential for separations of amine enantiomers

Silica gel-bound crown ethers and aza macrocycles have been synthesized with the attaching arm connected to the carbon framework of the macrocycles. The interactions of these bound macrocycles with cations are almost identical to those involving the analogous free macrocycles. This has allowed for predictable cation separation, concentration, and removal processes to be performed on a small scale. Quantum mechanical calculations and NMR measurements indicate that similarly bound chiral macrocycles will be capable of use in separating chiral organic amines.Dedicated to the memory of Professor James J. Christensen who died on 5 September 1987.     

Synthesis and solvent driven self-aggregation studies of meso-"C-glycoside"-porphyrin derivatives

New types of porphyrin derivatives bearing "C-glycoside" moieties, either in 5,10,15,20- or in 5,15-meso-positions, were prepared and fully characterized. The presence of the glycosidic groups imparts to the title macrocycles, besides an amphiphilic character, a clear tendency to form chiral suprastructures upon solvent-driven self-aggregation in different aqueous-organic solvent mixtures. Supra-assembly phenomena, in terms of the size and morphology of the resulting structures, as well as their kinetics of aggregation, were studied by UV-visible, fluorescence, resonance light scattering (RLS), and CD spectroscopy, indicating that the morphology of the aggregates depends strongly on the structure of the porphyrin rings, and on the bulk conditions of aggregation.     

General method for synthesis of functionalized macrocycles and catenanes utilizing "click" chemistry

A new protocol for efficient and high yield synthesis of functionalized macrocycles and catenanes has been developed using "click" chemistry in combination with Sauvage's metal template route to interlocked structures. The procedure involves introduction of terminal alkyne moieties on a symmetrical 2,9-diaryl-1,10-phenanthroline (phen) building block, followed by double-"click" ring closure using aryl 3,5-diazides in the presence of CuI, sodium ascorbate, the base DBU and a sulfonated phenanthroline ligand in an oxygen-free 7:3:1 ethanol/water/toluene mixture at 70 degrees C. Utilizing acetal and vinyl substituted diazides, the corresponding bistriazole/phen macrocycles, characterized spectroscopically, were obtained in 65-70% yield. Formation of a binary Cu(I) complex of the diethynylphen ligand followed by reaction with aryl 3,5-diazides using a modified procedure affords the corresponding difunctionalized catenane in one step in 85-92% yield. The initial catenanes obtained after workup are Cu-free. Reintroduction of Cu(I) using Cu(CH3CN)4+PF6- gives the metallocatenanes, whose spectral properties are identical to those of related (phen)2Cu(I) catenanes reported by Sauvage and co-workers. This methodology provides ready access to functionalized interlocked structures, which can be used as intermediates in the preparation of a variety of new materials, including compounds of interest as artificial photosynthetic systems.     

Intermolecular interactions in polymorphs of the cyclic trimeric perfluoro-<Emphasis Type="Italic">ortho</Emphasis>-phenylene mercury from geometric,energetic and AIM viewpoints: DFT study and Hirshfeld surface analysis

Macrocyclic polydentate Lewis acids are of ongoing interest owing to their ability for molecular recognition of anions; however, deep understanding of the nature of supramolecular bonding in their crystals is still lacking. To solve this problem, we have analysed four polymorphic modifications A–D of cyclic trimeric perfluoro-ortho-phenylene mercury (1) by quantum chemical calculations of intermolecular pair interactions energy. In all polymorphs, the main structural motif is stacked columns, which are further connected to a three-dimensional structure with either ladder-shape interactions between parallel macrocycles or T-shape interactions between nearly perpendicular macrocycles. Both arrangements contribute almost equally to the stabilization of the crystal structure. According to DFT computational study of isolated dimers that correspond to the most energetically favourable molecular pairs, and topological analysis of electron density distribution, the stabilization of these dimers is governed by Hg···C and C···C interactions. Significant contribution also comes from F···C and Hg···F interactions, while the role of mercurophilic interactions and F···F contacts seems negligible. Statistical analysis of crystal structures of host–guest complexes of the macrocycle 1 using Voronoi polyhedra and Hirshfeld surfaces showed the same types of intermolecular interactions to be responsible for stabilization of its polymorphs and co-crystals.     

An efficient route to well-defined macrocyclic polymers via "click" cyclization

Polystyrene macrocycles have been prepared from ATRP precursors by modification of the terminal bromide to an azide, followed by "click" cyclization with a pendant alkyne from the initiator. This route offers exceptional control over the size and polydispersity of the macrocyclic polymers, as well as providing tolerance to a number of functional groups.     

“MCR-Click” synthesis of coumarin-tagged macrocycles with large Stokes shift values and cytotoxicity against human breast cancer cell line MCF-7

A three step “MCR-Click” strategy has been developed for the synthesis of a library of coumarin-tagged macrocycles with varying ring size from 11 to 18. The coumarin moiety connected to the peptidomimetic macrocycles thorough a keto-methylenic spacer helps the molecules to become optical systems with controlled emission properties. All the twelve macrocycles developed are emitting in the green region with high Stokes shift values indicating the potential of these molecules as probes for bioimaging applications. Similarly, the excellent cytotoxicity exhibited by the molecules toward human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) further indicating the possibilities of these new macrocycles as potential anticancer/antitumor agents.     

Smart macrocyclic molecules: induced fit and ultrafast self-sorting inclusion behavior through dynamic covalent chemistry

A family of macrocycles with oligo(ethylene glycol) chains, 4O, 5O, and 6O, was developed to construct a series of new incorporated macrocycles through dynamic covalent chemistry. These flexible macrocycles exhibited excellent "self-sorting" abilities with diamine compounds, which depended on the "induced-fit" rule. For instance, the host macrocycles underwent conformational modulation to accommodate the diamine guests, affording [1+1] intramolecular addition compounds regardless of the flexibility of the diamine. These macrocycles folded themselves to fit various diamines with different chain length through modulation of the flexible polyether chain, and afforded intramolecular condensation products. However, if the chain of the diamine was too long and rigid, oligomers or polymers were obtained from the mixture of the macromolecule and the diamine. All results demonstrated that inclusion compounds involving conformationally suitable aromatic diamines were thermodynamically favorable candidates in the mixture due to the restriction of the macrocycle size. Furthermore, kinetic and thermodynamic studies of self-sorting behaviors of both mixed 4O-5O and 4O-6O systems were investigated in detail. Finally, theoretical calculations were also employed to further understand such self-sorting behavior, and indicated that the large enthalpy change of H(2)NArArNH(2)@4O is the driving force for the sorting behavior. Our system may provide a model to further understand the principle of biomolecules with high specificity due only to their conformational self-adjusting ability.     

Self-assembled monolayers of clamped oligo(phenylene-ethynylene-butadiynylene)s

Rigid rod oligo(phenylene-ethynylene-butadiynylene)s (oPEBs), "half-rings" of two rigid rods connected via a molecular clamp unit, and shape-persistent macrocycles (cyclic "half-ring dimers") are synthesized and their self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at the interface of 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB)/highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG). The results are important for the design of molecular building blocks for two-dimensional nanoscale architectures on solid surfaces.     

Synthesis and complexation properties of "zorbarene": a new naphthalene ring-based molecular receptor

[picture: see text] The syntheses of the first 2,3-dialkoxy-substituted naphthalene ring-based macrocycles which have calixarene-like structures are reported. The complexation properties of these octahomotetraoxaisocalix[4]naphthalenes were investigated. These new members of the calixnaphthalene family did not demonstrate any appreciable complexation with C(60) or C(70) under the conditions studied, but did so with the tetramethylammonium cation, showing relatively strong association constants suggesting among other considerations that stronger cation-pi interactions versus pi-pi interactions are operative with these hosts. An X-ray crystal structure of the octa-O-ethoxy derivative revealed a structure having a "flattened partial-cone" conformation in which two acetonitrile guest molecules are trapped.     

"Swollen" Macrocycles: Palladium(II)-Directed Template Syntheses of Pendant-Arm 14-, 16-, and 18-Membered Macrocycles

The bis(diamine)palladium(II) cations (diamine = ethane-1,2-diamine, propane-1,3-diamine, or butane-1,4-diamine) all undergo condensation reactions with formaldehyde and nitroethane to produce macromonocycles where each pair of cis-disposed primary amines has been converted to a -NH-CH(2)-C(CH(3))(NO(2))-CH(2)-NH- strap. The 14-membered-ring macrocycle has been previously prepared by condensation around copper(II) and nickel(II), but this does not permit synthesis of the larger ring macrocycles. The macrocyclic complex (6,13-dimethyl-6, 13-dinitro-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane)palladium(II) perchlorate crystallizes in the triclinic space group P&onemacr;, a = 8.105(3) ?, b = 8.370(2) ?, c = 9.437(4) ?, alpha = 69.04(3) degrees, beta = 68.60(3), gamma = 71.53(3) degrees. Complexes of the 16- and 18-membered macrocycles (3,11-dimethyl-3,11-dinitro-1,5,9,13-tetraazacyclohexadecane)palladium(II) perchlorate and (3,12-dimethyl-3,12-dinitro-1,5,10,14-tetraaazacyclooctadecane)palladium(II) perchlorate crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, with a = 8.391(2) ?, b = 12.816(3) ?, c = 23.925(9) ?, and beta = 93.18(2) degrees, and the triclinic space group P&onemacr;, with a = 7.746(5) ?, b = 9.912(5) ?, c = 18.96(2) ?, alpha = 91.76(6) degrees, beta = 101.73(7) degrees, and gamma = 112.83(5) degrees respectively. The larger macrocycles are "swollen" by incorporating longer methylene chains, "swelling" leading to an increase in Pd-N distance and in tetrahedral distortion, with the dominant geometric isomer apparently changing with macrocycle size from anti-disposed nitro pendants (14-membered) to the syn isomer (16-, 18-membered). An irreversible Pd(II/IV) oxidation occurs at ca +1 V (vs Ag/AgCl), varying slightly with ring size, with a multi-electron nitro group reduction observed near -0.8 V in each case. Electronic spectra also vary slightly with ring size.     

Gold(I) and Gold(0) Complexes of Phosphinine-Based Macrocycles

A "CO-like matrix", showing coordination analogous to that of carbonyl groups, is provided by silacalix[4]phosphinine macrocycles. Reaction with Au(I) leads to the first gold(I) complexes of macrocycles, which can be reduced with sodium or potassium to the paramagnetic gold(0) complexes (an example is shown), as evidenced by cyclic voltammetry and EPR spectroscopy.     

Binuclear ruthenium macrocycles formed via the weak-link approach

The "weak-link approach" for the synthesis of metallomacrocycles has been used to synthesize a series of novel Ru(II) macrocycles in high yield. RuCl2(PPh3)3 has been reacted with two different phosphino-alkyl-ether hemilabile ligands, 1,4-(PPh2(CH2)2O)2C6H4 and 1,4-(PPh2(CH2)2OCH2)2C6H4. The hemilabile bidentate ligand coordinates to Ru(II) centers through both the P and O atoms to form bimetallic "condensed intermediates". The weak Ru-O bonds have been selectively cleaved with CO, 1,2-diaminopropane, and pyridine to yield large open macrocycles. This is the first example of the weak-link approach employed to synthesize macrocycles with Ru, and metal centers in general that have more than four coordination sites.     

Cycling a Tether into Multiple Rings: Pt-Bridged Macrocycles for Differentiated Guest Recognition,Pseudorotaxane Transformations,and Guest Capture and Release

Macrocycle engineering is a key topic in supramolecular chemistry. When synthesizing a ring, one can obtain either complex mixtures of macrocycles of different sizes or a single ring if a template is utilized. Here, we unite these approaches along with post-synthetic modifications to transform a single tether into multiple rings—up to five per tether. The macrocycles contain two bridged phenylpyridine ligands that are connected through a Pt atom, which defines the rings’ shape, size, and host activity. All rings undergo redox reactions (between Pt^II and Pt^IV) that allow for large conformational changes. Their reactivity, together with their host performance, is a convenient way to control the capture and release of guests, to mediate ring transformations, and to control pseudorotaxane-to-pseudorotaxane conversions. This novel approach could serve to assemble other libraries of small ring molecules, create cyclic polymers bridged by responsive-at-metal nodes, and produce processable mechanically interlocked molecules.     

A novel, tunable manganese coordination system based on a flexible "spacer" unit: noncovalent templation effects.

The reaction of bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonato)manganese(II) trihydrate (2), an approximately 90 degrees corner unit, with flexible linking unit 4,4'-trimethylenedipyridine (1) allows for the potential formation of three different types of solid-state coordination species: infinite helical polymers, closed dimeric systems, and infinite one-dimensional polymers. While the un-templated starting material is known to give a coordination helix, the other two possible species can be realized through the selective use of a variety of simple, organic guests: toluene (3), diphenylmethane (4), cis-stilbene (5), 1,3-diphenylpropane (6), benzyl alcohol (7), nitrobenzene (8), and cyanobenzene (9). When solutions of 1 and 2 are crystallized in the presence of all of these clathrates, the dimeric macrocycles result in all cases, except for that of 6, in which a syndiotactic, wedge-shaped polymer forms. Employing a linker that is less rigid than is typically used in crystal engineering, such as 1, enables the nucleophilic donor subunit to be more than just a simple "spacer", instead making it an essential, tunable component in the overall crystal lattice. In so doing, a great deal of molecular "information" is lost, but this is compensated for by an in-depth investigation into the weaker host-guest and/or guest-guest interactions, such as nonclassical hydrogen bonding and an assortment of hydrophobic interactions, present in the various systems.     

Engineering solid-state morphologies in carbazole-ethynylene macrocycles

We present a crystallographic study that systematically investigates the effects of the n-alkyl side-chain length on the crystal packing in shape-persistent macrocycles. The solid-state packing of carbazole-ethynylene-containing macrocycles is sensitive to the alkyl-chain length. In macrocycles containing n-alkyl side chains up to nine carbons in length, face-on aromatic π interactions predominate, while the addition of one carbon leads to a completely different packing arrangement. Macrocycles with C(10) or C(11) chains exhibit a novel packing motif wherein the alkyl chains intercalate between macrocycles, leading in one case to continuous solvent-filled channels. When crystals of the C(10) macrocycle are bathed in solvent, the included molecules exchange with the external solvent, and the alkyl chain disorder changes in response to changes in the guest volume in order to retain crystallinity. Powder X-ray diffraction data indicate that alkyl-macrocycle interactions in the longer chains "emulate" the distances typical of face-to-face π interactions, leading to deceptive indicators of π stacking.     

Synthesis of N,N′-bridged azacalixarenes

The one-pot reaction between bis(hydroxymethyl)phenol derivatives and diamines or triamines afforded novel azacalixarenes with bridged structures. Basket-type macrocycles of cone conformations, molecules that contained two aza[3.1.1.1]calixarene skeletons connected by a chain, or novel saucer-type azacalixarenes were obtained from the reaction. Structures of some of them were determined by crystallographic analyses.     

Donor-substituted peralkynylated "radiaannulenes": novel all-carbon macrocycles with an intense intramolecular charge-transfer

A novel class of planar, highly conjugated all-carbon macrocycles, which we christened "radiaannulenes", have been prepared based on acetylenic scaffolding using tetraethynylethene (TEE) building blocks; these structures are powerful electron acceptors and, upon peripheral substitution with electron-donating N,N-dialkylanilino groups, display intense intramolecular charge-transfer.     

Multicomponent assembly of boron-based dendritic nanostructures

A new synthetic strategy for the construction of boron-based macrocycles and dendrimers is described. Condensation of aryl- and alkylboronic acids with 3,4-dihydroxypyridine is shown to give pentameric macrocycles in which five boronate esters are connected by dative B-N bonds. Three macrocycles have been characterized crystallographically. The boron atoms of these assemblies represent chiral centers, and the assembly process is highly diastereoselective. Attachment of amino or aldehyde groups in the meta position of the arylboronic acid building blocks does not interfere with macrocyclization. This allows performing multicomponent assembly reactions between functionalized boronic acids, dihydroxypyridine ligands, and amines or aldehydes, respectively. Reaction of 3,5-diformylphenylboronic acid, 3,4-dihydroxypyridine, and a primary amine R-NH2 (R=Ph, Bn) gives dendritic nanostructures having a pentameric macrocyclic core and 10 amine-derived R groups in their periphery. Combination of 3,5-diformylphenylboronic acid with 2,3-dihydroxypyridine and the dendron 3,5-(benzyloxy)benzylamine, on the other hand, results in formation of a dendrimer with a tetrameric macrocyclic core and eight dendrons in its periphery.     

Unprecedented selectivity in the formation of large-ring oligoimines from conformationally bistable chiral diamines

[reaction: see text] Stereoselective formation of large macrocycles in "click-type" reactions is a current challenge. Chiral macrocycles of differing size and shape (e.g., rectanglimine or loopimine) were selectively obtained by cyclocondensation of terephthalaldehyde or isophthalaldehyde with conformationally bistable chiral diamines derived from trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane and aromatic dianhydrides. This opens new opportunities for the programmed synthesis of large-ring molecular assemblies.