Mechanically interlocked molecular architectures functionalised with fullerenes

The combination of fullerenes and mechanically interlocked molecular architectures has opened up a new field of research. A selection of representative examples of mechanically interlocked molecules functionalised with fullerenes are discussed here.     

A mechanically interlocked bundle

The prototype of an artificial molecular machine consisting of a trisammonium tricationic component interlocked with a tris(crown ether) component to form a molecular bundle with averaged C(3v) symmetry has been designed and synthesized. The system is based on noncovalent interactions, which include 1) N(+)-H...O hydrogen bonds; 2) C-H...O interactions between the CH(2)NH(2) (+)CH(2) protons on three dibenzylammonium-ion-containing arms, which are attached symmetrically to a benzenoid core, and three dibenzo[24]crown-8 macrorings fused onto a triphenylene core; and 3) pi...pi stacking interactions between the aromatic cores. The template-directed synthesis of the mechanically interlocked, triply threaded bundle involves post-assembly covalent modification, that is, the efficient conversion of three azide functions at the ends of the arms of the bound and threaded trication into bulky triazole stoppers, after 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with di-tert-butylacetylenedicarboxylate to the extremely strong 1:1 adduct that is formed in dichloromethane/acetonitrile (3:2), on account of a cluster effect associated with the paucivalent adduct. Evidence for the averaged C(3v) symmetry of the molecular bundle comes from absorption and luminescence data, as well as from electrochemical experiments, (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The photophysical properties of the mechanically interlocked bundle are very similar to those of the superbundle that precedes the formation of the bundle in the process of supramolecular assistance to covalent synthesis. Although weak non-nucleophilic bases (e.g., nBu(3)N and iPr(2)NEt) fail to deprotonate the bundle, the strong tBuOK does, as indicated by both luminescence and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. While deprotonation undoubtedly loosens up the interlocked structure of the molecular bundle by replacing relatively strong N(+)-H...O hydrogen bonds by much weaker N-H...O ones, the pi...pi stacking interactions ensure that any structural changes are inconsequential, particularly when the temperature of the solution of the neutral molecular bundle in dichloromethane is cooled down to considerably below room temperature.     

Template-directed synthesis of multiply mechanically interlocked molecules under thermodynamic control

The template-directed construction of crown-ether-like macrocycles around secondary dialkylammonium ions (R2NH2+) has been utilized for the expedient (one-pot) and high-yielding synthesis of a diverse range of mechanically interlocked molecules. The clipping together of appropriately designed dialdehyde and diamine compounds around R2NH2+-containing dumbbell-shaped components proceeds through the formation, under thermodynamic control, of imine bonds. The reversible nature of this particular reaction confers the benefits of "error-checking" and "proof-reading", which one usually associates with supramolecular chemistry and strict self-assembly processes, upon these wholly molecular systems. Furthermore, these dynamic covalent syntheses exploit the efficient templating effects that the R2NH2+ ions exert on the macrocyclization of the matched dialdehyde and diamine fragments, resulting not only in rapid rates of reaction, but also affording near-quantitative conversion of starting materials into the desired interlocked products. Once assembled, these "dynamic" interlocked compounds can be "fixed" upon reduction of the reversible imine bonds (by using BH3.THF) to give kinetically stable species, a procedure that can be performed in the same reaction vessel as the inital thermodynamically controlled assembly. Isolation and purification of the mechanically interlocked products formed by using this protocol is relatively facile, as no column chromatography is required. Herein, we present the synthesis and characterization of 1) a [2]rotaxane, 2) a [3]rotaxane, 3) a branched [4]rotaxane, 4) a bis [2]rotaxane, and 5) a novel cyclic [4]rotaxane, demonstrating, in incrementally more complex systems, the efficacy of this one-pot strategy for the construction of interlocked molecules.     

Cyclodextrins as Building Blocks for Supramolecular Structures and Functional Units

Cyclodextrins are frequently used as building blocks, because they can be linked both covalently and noncovalently with specificity. Thus one, two, three, seven, fourteen, eighteen, or twenty substituents have been linked to one β-cyclodextrin molecule in a regioselective manner. Furthermore, Cyclodextrins may serve as organic host molecules. Their internal cavity is able to accommodate one or two guest molecules. Conversely, suitable guest molecules can be used to thread one, two, or many (one hundred or more) cyclodextrin rings. The resulting supramolecular structures are often formed in solution, which allows characterization by high-resolution spectroscopic methods. Chemical conversion of these structures provides molecular architectures such as catenanes, rotaxanes, polyrotaxanes, and tubes, which are not readily prepared by other methods. The particular properties of Cyclodextrins can also be employed, for example, for the chromatographic separation of complex mixtures of substances, even racemates, by molecular recognition. Cyclodextrins and their derivatives have been found to be remarkably active catalysts as well. Finally, since Cyclodextrins can favorably influence the release of drugs, many new applications will certainly be developed in the near future.     

Towards an understanding of the molecular basis of hydrophobicity

Summary The modern view is stressed that the structuring of water around nonpolar solutes, a process called hydrophobic hydration, actually favors the solubility of nonpolar solutes in water, its associated positive free energy of transfer arising from the enthalpic input required to create a cavity in water to accommodate the solute. The results of a series of molecular dynamics simulations of methane in SPC/E water at different temperatures are reported. These results show the existence of a larger fraction of broken hydrogen bonds in the hydration-shell water of the nonpolar solutes with respect to the bulk water, the difference increasing with a rise in temperature. This supports Muller's modified hydration-shell hydrogen-bond model predictions, where hydration-shell water molecules have lower free energies of hydrogen-bond breaking than those in the bulk.This paper is based on a presentation given at the 14th Molecular Graphics and Modelling Society Conference, held in Cairns, Australia, August 27 September 1, 1995.     

Molecularly imprinted polymers with halogen bonding-based molecular recognition sites

Molecular recognition materials bearing halogen bonding-based binding sites were synthesized by a non-covalent imprinting technique using a 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-4-iodostyrene (TFIS) as the functional monomer. The binding sites were generated by co-polymerizing TFIS, styrene and divinylbenzene in the presence of the template molecule (4-dimethylaminopyridine—DMAP). The imprinted polymer preferentially adsorbed aminopyridine derivatives, suggesting that halogen bonding may play a role in the selective recognition of analytes by the synthesized synthetic receptor.     

发光性受体的分子设计与分子识别

介绍了发光受体的几种典型分子识别模型。从分子识别与超分子化学的角度综述了它们在分子离子识别中的应用。对近几年发展较快的分子印迹技术及其应用进行了综述。引用文献71篇。     

A selector/selectand molecular complex for the study of enantiodiscriminative processes

The structure of the molecular complex between the chiral selector (+)1-(3-allylpropyl)-(5R,8S,10R)-N,N-diethyl-N′-[6-methyl ergolin-8-yl]urea, C₂₃H₃₃N₄O, (allyl-terguride) and the HPLC more retained (S)-enantiomer of dansyl-tryptophan, C₂₃H₂₃N₃O₄S, has been determined. It is a part of the study on the chiral recognition mechanism of ergot alkaloids, when used in chiral stationary phases (CSPs) for the separation of racemic mixture of organic acids by liquid chromatographic methods. At the pH of crystallization conditions, which mimic those corresponding to the best enantiodiscriminative activity, each molecule of (S)-dansyl-tryptophan is locked to a molecule of allyl-terguride by hydrogen bonds and by C–H···π edge-to-face interactions.     

Redox responsive molecular tweezers with tetrathiafulvalene units: synthesis, electrochemistry, and binding properties

Several new molecular tweezers with tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) arms as well as mono-TTF derivatives bearing 3,5-di-tert-butylbenzylthio groups to provide enhanced solubility were prepared starting from a bis-cyanoethyl-protected tetrathiafulvalene derivative. The X-ray crystallographic analysis of 3 and 7a showed highly distorted TTF groups and absence of close TTF-TTF contacts in the crystalline state. Comparative cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements demonstrated that through space distance-dependent TTF-TTF interactions take place in the TTF-containing molecular tweezers, leading to electronic pairing with formation of mixed valence [TTF]₂⁺ species and splitting of the first oxidation wave. TTF-containing molecular tweezers were successfully tested as receptors for several electron-deficient substances.     

A preliminary step toward molecular spring driven by cooperative guest binding

A macrocyclic host molecule that comprised two different rotating modules, cerium(IV) bis(porphyrinate)s and ferrocenyl rotating units, exhibiting contraction/expansion motion was synthesized, which can be regarded as a prototype of artificial molecular spring driven by cooperative guest binding in 1:6 stoichiometry.     

Hydrogen bonding in molecular recognition by HIV-1 protease

Molecular recognition of the cleavage sites of the substrates by HIV-1 protease is analyzed in terms of hydrogen bonding. Crystal structures of an inactive enzyme complexed with six different substrates were used as reference structures. Applying molecular mechanics calculations it can be shown that the interaction energies between the real substrate and the enzyme are larger than with other peptides. From the analysis, it can be concluded that water molecules are essential in the recognition process. Moreover, the hydrogen bonds between the protease and various substrates are characterized in detail.     

Design and synthesis of novel chiral molecular tweezers based on deoxycholic acid

A novel type of chiral molecular tweezers has been designed and synthesized by using deoxycholic acid as backbone and ethanoyl and the chiral unsymmetrical urea unit as arms. Their structures were characterized by 1H NMR, IR, MS spectra and elemental analysis. These molecular tweezers showed good binding ability for neutral molecules and chiral molecules.     

Self-assembly molecular architectures with novel cyclic dimers

Highly emissive conjugated compounds containing pyridine (or pyrimidine) and cyano ligands have been synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction. These ligands readily react with Re(CO)₃(THF)₂Br to form cyclic supramolecules by self-assembly processes. At room temperature these supramolecules are emissive, and the emission is ligand-localized, as evidenced from the Stokes shift and the lifetime data.     

Pattern recognition in molecular quantum mechanics

It is shown that the classical concept of an open system does not encompass quantal systems but has to be replaced by the non-Boolean notion of an entangled system. Molecular, chemical, or biological phenomena can be considered to be reduced to a fundamental theory like quantum mechanics only if the fundamental and the phenomenological theories are formally and interpretatively connected, and if the classifications used in the empirical sciences are shown to follow from a single set of fundamental dynamical laws. These conditions enforce a non-statistical and ontic interpretation of quantum mechanics, hence a non-Boolean calculus of propositions. In this interpretation the notion of a world state is well-defined, its Schmidt-decomposition defines a background-dependent model state for molecular systems and creates the phenomena we can observe. To any molecular system there is associated in an objective way a nonnegative number which we call the integrity. The integrity measures the inherent fuzziness of the system concept in a holistic theory, and is used to define recognizable molecular patterns.     

Rapid and efficient synthesis of new chiral aromatic amide molecular tweezers under solvent-free conditions using microwave

An efficient and simple method for the synthesis of new chiral aromatic amide molecular tweezers by irradiation with microwave under solvent-free conditions has been developed.Its main advantages are short reaction times.good conversions and the environmentally friendly nature of the process.     

A comparative study of the potential of acrylic and sol-gel polymers for molecular imprinting

The successful molecular imprinting of 2-aminopyridine (2-apy) in bulk polymerisations of acrylic and sol-gel based polymers has been achieved. Both polymeric systems reveal varying degrees of affinity in rebinding the original template as well as a number of structural analogues. Rebinding was conducted in chloroform, acetonitrile and methanol in order to assess the role of hydrogen bonding in imprinting. The acrylic imprinted polymer retained approximately 50% of the template in rebinding studies in chloroform compared to 100% for the sol-gel. However, this higher affinity for the sol-gel was accompanied by a higher degree of non-specific binding. While the acrylic polymer performed poorly in acetonitrile, the sol-gel maintained a high degree of discrimination.The acrylic polymer exhibited little discrimination between imprinted and reference polymers for 3-aminopyridine (3-apy) indicating the high selectivity of the MIP polymer for 2-apy relative to 3-apy. This selectivity was reduced in acetonitrile. Selectivity of the sol-gel for 2-apy in chloroform was poor as 3-apy was retained to a similar degree. Comparable results were obtained in acetonitrile. 4-Aminopyridine (4-apy) bound strongly to all polymers in all solvents and proved very difficult to remove due to the high degree of non-specific binding for both polymeric matrices.     

Influence of intramolecular hydrogen bond of templates on molecular recognition of molecularly imprinted polymers

Three molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) were prepared corresponding to three structurally related template compounds 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), gentisic acid (GA) and salicylic acid (SA) that differ in intramolecular hydrogen bonding ability using acrylamide (AA) as a functional monomer. HPLC method was used to evaluate the binding performances of the MIPs to the templates and several analogues. The results showed that the difference in their molecular recognition ability was pronounced. The highest molecular recognition ability was observed for 4-HBA-imprinted polymer. It was proved that the hydrogen bond interaction between the functional monomer and the template (4-HBA) played a major role in the recognition process and Scatchard analysis showed that two classes of binding sites were formed in 4-HBA-imprinted polymer. Their dissociation constants were estimated to be 1.76×10⁻⁴ and 1.40×10⁻³ mol l⁻¹, respectively. But for GA- or SA-imprinted polymer the molecular recognition ability was not improved compared to the blank polymer (BP). By comparison of the structures of the three templates, it was concluded that the molecular recognition ability will decrease when the template itself is able to form intramolecular hydrogen bond in the molecular imprinting process. This study will be helpful for us to understand the molecular recognition mechanism of MIPs and of instructive significance for the prediction of the selectivity of MIPs.     

Synthesis and different molecular recognition of two dye-modified cyclodextrins with spacer of different length

Two β-cyclodextrin derivatives (1 and 2) bearing a hydroxyazobenzene unit, each having a butylene or a 4,7-dioxadecylene spacer between the cyclodextrin and the dye, were prepared, which showed guest-induced color changes with a marked difference in molecular recognition behavior in aqueous solution.     

A pillar[5]arene-based molecular grapple of hexafluorophosphate

A symmetric pillararene-based receptor formed 1:1 complexes instead of 1:2 with different halide anions. The cooperative multivalent hydrogen-bond interactions changed its structure from pillar to conical. By the addition of F, it can work like an excavator grapple selectively grasps a PF₆^- anion.