Relative binding affinities of molecular capsules investigated by ESI-mass spectrometry

ESI-MS(/MS) has been used as a method which allows the fast, unambiguous and sensitive simultaneous detection and relative stability approximation of supramolecular assemblies in mixtures. In spite of the obvious fundamental differences between solution and gas phase, ESI-MS in the case of self-assembled molecular capsules has been shown to produce very similar results to single binding experiments monitored by NMR titrations as well as conformational searches performed by Monte-Carlo simulations. MS/MS experiments reveal the same relative order of gas phase stabilities as previously found in solution. Moreover, proton transfer reactions which lead to new molecular capsules, are not detectable in the time-averaged NMR spectrum. However, the newly produced species are found in the complex mixtures by ESI-MS and can be conveniently characterized by subsequent MS/MS experiments: in a collision-induced dissociation the single half-spheres are easily discovered and structurally assigned. Thus, ESI-MS has worked as a valuable tool for the rapid screening of complex supramolecular mixtures and in combination with MS/MS experiments elucidated both the path of unexpected side reactions as well as the thermodynamic gas-phase stabilities of all components in the mixture.     

Characterization of multimetallic grid-type complexes by electrospray mass spectrometry

The self-assembly of the terdentate ligands 1a-h, based on terpyridine-like binding sites, with octahedrally coordinated metal ions, such as Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II), Cd(II), Hg(II) and Pb(II), leads to the formation of the supramolecular grid-type complexes 2a-c(M(II)), 3d-g(M(II)) and 4h(M(II)). The structures and compositions of these coordination complexes in solution were deduced from electrospray mass spectrometry (ESMS) measurements. The results agree with the data available from x-ray radiocrystallography in the solid state and/or NMR spectroscopy in solution. ESMS may be applied in cases where other methods are difficult to use or inconclusive. This study stresses the power of ESMS in supramolecular chemistry.     

A Complex between C-Methylcalix[4]resorcinarene and Triethylammonium Nitrate

Abstract

The synthesis and crystal structure of the complex formed by the all-cis epimer of C-methylcalix[4]resorcinarene (1) and triethylammonium nitrate are reported. “1.(HNEt⁺ ₃)₄. (NO^? ₃)₄(2)”, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/n, a=25.796(2), b=16.6048(11), c=29.5659(10) Å, β=94.636(4)°, V=12623(2) ų, Z=8. Refinement led to a final conventional R₁ value of 0.128 for 12428 reflections and 1473 parameters. The resorcinarene displays the usual bowl-type shape, with four hydroxyl protons involved in intramolecular hydrogen bonds, whereas the remaining four make hydrogen bonds with four bridging nitrate ions, which results in the formation of infinite chains. Those chains are arranged so as to form layers, between which the triethylammonium ions and the remaining nitrate ions are hydrogen-bonded one to another.     

Electrospray‐Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Screening the Specificity and Stability of Single‐Stranded‐DNA Templated Self‐Assemblies

Supramolecular complexes consisting of a single‐stranded oligothymine ( dTn ) as the host template and an array of guest molecules equipped with a complementary diaminotriazine hydrogen‐bonding unit have been studied with electrospray‐ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). In this hybrid construct, a supramolecular stack of guest molecules is hydrogen bonded to dTn . By changing the hydrogen‐bonding motif of the DNA host template or the guest molecules, selective hydrogen bonding was proven. We were able to detect single‐stranded‐DNA (ssDNA)–guest complexes for strands with lengths of up to 20 bases, in which the highest complex mass detected was 15 kDa; these complexes constitute 20‐component self‐assembled objects. Gas‐phase breakdown experiments on single‐ and multiple‐guest–DNA assemblies gave qualitative information on the fragmentation pathways and the relative complex stabilities. We found that the guest molecules are removed from the template one by one in a highly controlled way. The stabilities of the complexes depend mainly on the molecular weight of the guest molecules, a fact suggesting that the complexes collapse in the gas phase. By mixing two different guests with the ssDNA template, a multicomponent dynamic library can be created. Our results demonstrate that ESI‐MS is a powerful tool to analyze supramolecular ssDNA complexes in great detail.     

Synthesis of Calix[4]resorcinarene Amide Derivatives

Three different synthetic routes were developed to introduce carbamoyloxy functional groups at the upper periphery of two calix[4]resorcinarenes. By treating activated esters 2a-b with excess corresponding amine such as 3-(dimethylamino)propylamine 3, ct-phenethylamine 4 and triethylenetetramine 5, six amide derivatives 6a-8b were obtained in high yield (Route 1). The pyridine-linked amide derivatives 9a-b were prepared by using acid chloride intermediate (Route 2).The amide derivatives 10a-b were obtained in moderate yields by direct alkylation of phenolic hydroxyl groups of la-b with N,N-dipropylchloroacetoamide in the presence of K2CO3/KI in acetone (Route 3).     

Dimeric capsules with a nanoscale cavity for [60]fullerene encapsulation

The acid-assisted and guest-induced formation of superstructures was achieved by the addition of haloacetic acids to a toluene solution of the resorcin[4]arene derivatives 1 and [60]fullerenes. The formation of dimeric superstructures that encapsulated a nanosized guest molecule was observed when appropriate acids, such as haloacetic acids, and suitable guest molecules, such as [60]fullerenes, were co-added to a toluene solution of cavitand 1 that has four pyridine units, whereas a complicated equilibrium between several species was detected without [60]fullerenes, and the formation of discrete superstructures was not monitored in the absence of haloacetic acids. The spectroscopic data indicate that the formed [60]fullerene-encapsulated complexes have the structure of 2. These complexes are self-assembled through pyridinium-anion-pyridinium interactions and by pi-pi and van der Waals interactions. The rate of decomplexation of 2 is estimated to be 3.1 s(-1) from a 2D exchange NMR spectrum. The [60]fullerene encapsulation process can be controlled by modifying the amounts of acids used, changing the temperature of the system, altering the ratio of acid/base, and even through varying the solvent polarity. Moreover, the fluorescence spectra show band-narrowing spectral changes and a retardation of the relaxation characteristics of isolated and isotropic [60]fullerenes, which indicates that the environmental change around [60]fullerene is induced upon its encapsulation.     

Octahydroxypyridine[4]arene self-assembles spontaneously to form hexameric capsules and dimeric aggregates

In recent years it has been observed that resorcin[4]arenes and pyrogallol[4]arenes form hydrogen-bonded hexameric capsules in nonpolar solvents. In the present study we have used NMR spectroscopy, with an emphasis on diffusion NMR, to investigate the self-assembly and the aggregation mode of solutions of octahydroxypyridine[4]arene (1 b) in chloroform. In spectroscopic studies, the hexameric capsule of C-undecylresorcin[4]arene (2 b) was used as a reference compound and in some cases also as an internal reference. The current diffusion NMR spectroscopy study shows, in contrast to a previous report, that compound 1 b self-assembles spontaneously into hexameric and dimeric aggregates in solutions in chloroform. The (1)H NMR and diffusion NMR spectroscopic studies on a solution of 1 b in CHCl(3) show the presence of new upfield-shifted peaks, which diffuse with the same diffusion coefficient as the hexameric peaks in the spectrum. Therefore, these new upfield-shifted peaks were attributed to encapsulated CHCl(3) molecules. Interestingly, diffusion NMR measurements showed that the addition of trifluoroacetic acid (6.7 equiv), which had no effect on the hexameric capsules of 2 b, led to the disassembly of the hexamer and the dimer of 1 b into its monomers. Therefore, we conclude that compound 1 b self-assembles spontaneously into hexameric capsules in nonpolar organic solvents, as do resorcin[4]arenes 2 b and 2 c and pyrogallol[4]arenes 3 a and 3 b.     

含有二十分子水簇的金属—水二维网的构成

以醋酸铜、1,10-邻菲啰啉和顺丁烯二酸在去离子水和乙醇的混合溶液中反应得到了配合物单晶[Cd(phen)2(male)(H2O)]·9.5H2O (1) (phen＝1,10－邻菲啰啉; H2male＝顺丁烯二酸)。采用元素分析、红外光谱和热重分析对化合物进行了表征。用X－射线单晶衍射分析了晶体结构,结果表明：在化合物１中存在着由二十分子水簇构成的结构新颖的一维水链。一维水链和[Cd(phen)2(male)(H2O)]依靠氢键作用构成了独特的包含金属－水网的二维结构。     

新型间苯二酚杯芳烃硫脲衍生物对阴离子的识别

通过间苯二酚杯芳烃连续三步反应, 以较高产率合成了分子中连有8个和12个硫脲端基的间苯二酚杯芳烃的酰胺衍生物. 用紫外可见光谱法研究了两个代表性化合物4,6,10,12,16,18,22,24-八[6-(苯基硫脲基)-己氨甲酰基甲氧基]-2,8,14,20-四苯基杯[4]间苯二酚芳烃(THBC)和4,6,10,12,16,18,22,24-八[2-(苯基硫脲基)-1-甲基乙基-1-氨甲酰基甲氧基]-2,8,14,20-四苯基杯[4]间苯二酚芳烃(TPBC), 对各种阴离子(AcO^－, H₂PO₄^－, HSO₄^－, H₂PO₄^2－, C₁₂H₂₅-C₆H₄-SO₃^－, Cr₂O₇^2－, B₄O₇^2－, Cl^－, Br^－)的识别性能, 结果表明它们对AcO^－, H₂PO₄^－, HSO₄^－等阴离子有较好的配位作用, 能形成1∶3的配合物.     

Subcomponent Self‐Assembly of a 4 nm M4L6 Tetrahedron with ZnII Vertices and Perylene Bisimide Dye Edges

Formation of a tetrahedron with >4 nm perylene bisimide (PBI) dye edges and Zn^II vertices in a one‐pot 22 component self‐assembly reaction is reported. The luminescent polyhedron equilibrates to a Zn₂L₃ helicate and disassembles upon dilution. Insights into the subcomponent self‐assembly of extended PBI ligands help to refine design rules for constructing large photofunctional metallosupramolecular hosts.     

Multicomponent Supramolecular Systems: Self‐Organization in Coordination‐Driven Self‐Assembly

The self‐organization of multicomponent supramolecular systems involving a variety of two‐dimensional (2 D) polygons and three‐dimensional (3 D) cages is presented. Nine self‐organizing systems, SS₁ – SS₉ , have been studied. Each involves the simultaneous mixing of organoplatinum acceptors and pyridyl donors of varying geometry and their selective self‐assembly into three to four specific 2 D (rectangular, triangular, and rhomboid) and/or 3 D (triangular prism and distorted and nondistorted trigonal bipyramidal) supramolecules. The formation of these discrete structures is characterized using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). In all cases, the self‐organization process is directed by: 1) the geometric information encoded within the molecular subunits and 2) a thermodynamically driven dynamic self‐correction process. The result is the selective self‐assembly of multiple discrete products from a randomly formed complex. The influence of key experimental variables ‐ temperature and solvent ‐ on the self‐correction process and the fidelity of the resulting self‐organization systems is also described.     

High-tech applications of self-assembling supramolecular nanostructured gel-phase materials: from regenerative medicine to electronic devices

It is likely that nanofabrication will underpin many technologies in the 21st century. Synthetic chemistry is a powerful approach to generate molecular structures that are capable of assembling into functional nanoscale architectures. There has been intense interest in self-assembling low-molecular-weight gelators, which has led to a general understanding of gelation based on the self-assembly of molecular-scale building blocks in terms of non-covalent interactions and packing parameters. The gelator molecules generate hierarchical, supramolecular structures that are macroscopically expressed in gel formation. Molecular modification can therefore control nanoscale assembly, a process that ultimately endows specific material function. The combination of supramolecular chemistry, materials science, and biomedicine allows application-based materials to be developed. Regenerative medicine and tissue engineering using molecular gels as nanostructured scaffolds for the regrowth of nerve cells has been demonstrated in vivo, and the prospect of using self-assembled fibers as one-dimensional conductors in gel materials has captured much interest in the field of nanoelectronics.