Using a Multi‐Shelled Hollow Metal–Organic Framework as a Host to Switch the Guest‐to‐Host and Guest‐to‐Guest Interactions

A bio‐inspired design of using metal–organic framework (MOF) microcrystals with well‐defined multi‐shelled hollow structures was used as a matrix to host multiple guests including molecules and nanoparticles at separated locations to form a hierarchical material, mimicking biological structures. The interactions such as energy transfer (ET) between different guests are regulated by precisely fixing them in the MOF shells or encapsulating them in the cavities between the MOF shells. The proof‐of‐concept design is demonstrated by hosting chromophore molecules including rhodamine 6G (R6G) and 7‐amino‐4‐(trifluoromethyl)coumarin (C‐151), as well as metal nanoparticles (Pd NPs) into the multi‐shelled hollow zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8). We could selectively establish or diminish the guest‐to‐framework and guest‐to‐guest ET. This work provides a platform to construct complex multifunctional materials, especially those need precise separation control of multi‐components.     

In situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies of desorption and sorption in a flexible nanoporous molecular framework material

The subtle flexibility of the framework material Co(bpy)1.5(NO3)2.(guest) (bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine) (1.(guest)) is demonstrated quantitatively through in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements of guest desorption and sorption processes. Variable temperature unit cell determinations were employed to monitor the uptake and release of guest species, and full structural determinations have been carried out for the as-grown ethanol-loaded framework (1.(EtOH)), for the empty host framework, and for each of the five introduced guests (methanol: 1.(MeOH), acetone: 1.(ACN), acetonitrile: 1.(MeCN), tetrahydrofuran:1.(THF), dichloromethane: 1.(DCM)). The framework consists of interdigitated two-dimensional bilayers of cobalt(II) centers bridged by bpy ligands, with one-dimensional pores that account for approximately 20% of the total volume. The sorption of guest species of varying size and shape has revealed the framework's ability to adapt to different guests through a range of different framework flexibilities.     

Specific vapor sorption properties of phosphorus-containing dendrimers

Specific combination of guest sorption properties was observed for phosphorus-containing dendrimers, which distinguish them from ordinary polymers and clathrate-forming hosts. The sorption capacity for 30 volatile guests, binding reversibility, guest desorption kinetics and guest exchange, glass transition behavior and ability to be plasticized with guest were studied for phosphorus dendrimers of different generations (G(1)-G(4) and G(9)) using quartz crystal microbalance sensor, FTIR microspectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, simultaneous thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry combined with mass-spectrometry of evolved vapors. The dendrimers were found to have a different selectivity for different homological series of guests, high glass transition points without plasticization with guest even at high temperatures and saturation levels, moderate guest-binding irreversibility and ability both for effective guest exchange and independent guest sorption. These properties constitute an advantage of the studied dendrimers as receptor materials in various applications.     

Making amines strong bases: thermodynamic stabilization of protonated guests in a highly-charged supramolecular host1

A highly charged, cavity-containing supramolecular assembly formed by metal-ligand interactions acts as a host to dramatically shift the effective basicity of encapsulated protonated amine guests. The scope of encapsulated protonated amine and phosphine guests shows size selectivity consistent with a constrained binding environment. Protonation of the encapsulated guests is confirmed by (31)P NMR studies, mass spectrometry studies, and the pH dependence of guest encapsulation. Rates of guest self-exchange were measured using the selective inversion recovery method and were found to correlate with the size rather than with the basicity of the guests. The activation parameters for guest self-exchange are consistent with the established mechanism for guest exchange. The binding constants of the protonated amines are then used to calculate the effective basicity of the encapsulated amines. Depending on the nature of the guest, shifts in the effective basicities of the encapsulated amines of up to 4.5 pK(a) units are observed, signifying a substantial stabilization of the protonated form of the guest molecule and effectively making phosphines and amines strong bases.     

Host–Guest [2+2] Cycloaddition Reaction: Postsynthetic Modulation of CO2 Selectivity and Magnetic Properties in a Bimodal Metal–Organic Framework

Simultaneous tuning of permanent porosity and modulation of magnetic properties by postsynthetic modification (PSM) with light in a metal–organic framework is unprecedented. With the aim of achieving such a photoresponsive porous magnetic material, a 3D photoresponsive biporous framework, MOF1, which has 2D channels occupied by the guest 1,2‐bis(4‐pyridyl)ethylene (bpee), H₂O, and EtOH molecules, has been synthesized. The guest bpee in 1 is aligned parallel to pillared bpee with a distance of 3.9 Å between the ethylenic groups; this allows photoinduced PSM of the pore surface through a [2+2] cycloaddition reaction to yield MOF2. Such photoinduced PSM of the framework structure introduces enhanced CO₂ selectivity over that of N₂. The higher selectivity in MOF2 than that of MOF1 is studied through theoretical calculations. Moreover, MOF2 unveils reversible changes in T_c with response to dehydration–rehydration. This result demonstrates that photoinduced PSM is a powerful tool for fabricating novel functional materials.     

Guests Like Gear Levers: Donor Binding to Coordinatively Unsaturated Metal Sites in MIL-101 Controls the Linker′s Rotation

We present investigation of the effect of electron-donor guests on framework mobility in the metal–organic framework (MOF) MIL-101(Cr) monitored by solid state ²H NMR spectroscopy. In a guest-free material, the mobile phenylene fragments of the terephthalate (TP) linkers populate two fractions with notably different kinetic parameters for torsional motion. Two fractions of rotational motion are indicative of non-equivalence of TP linker binding to the Cr₃O trimer, the primary building unit of the MIL-101 framework. It is established that the interaction of the guest molecules with coordinatively unsaturated metal sites (CUS) of the MOF dramatically decreases torsional barriers for the linker motions, enhancing the rotation rate. This result is opposite to a more conventional slowing down effect on the linker rotation of the guests not selectively interacting with the adsorption sites inside the framework of the MOFs. The effect of coordination on both the torsional barrier and the rotation rate depends notably on the particular guest interacting with the CUS. The found effects of the guest on the rotational motion represent a basis for developing the strategy for ruling and controlling the linker rotation in MOFs with CUS. It is shown that if water occupies CUS, another guest (tert-butanol, cyclohexanone) fails to competitively coordinate to the site.     

Guest-induced supramolecular isomerism in inclusion complexes of T-shaped host 4,4-bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexanone

The T-shaped host molecule 4,4-bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexanone (1) has an equatorial phenol group and a cyclohexanone group along the arms and an axial phenol ring as the stem. The equatorial phenyl ring adopts a "shut" or "open" conformation, like a windowpane, depending on the size of the guest (phenol or o/m-cresol), for the rectangular voids of the hydrogen-bonded ladder host framework. The adaptable cavity of host 1 expands to 11x15-18 A through the inclusion of water with the larger cresol and halophenol guests (o-cresol, m-cresol, o-chlorophenol, and m-bromophenol) compared with a size of 10x13 A for phenol and aniline inclusion. The ladder host framework of 1 is chiral (P2(1)) with phenol, whereas the inclusion of isosteric o- and m-fluorophenol results in a novel polar brick-wall assembly (7x11 A voids) as a result of auxiliary C-H...F interactions. The conformational flexibility of strong O-H...O hydrogen-bonding groups (host 1, phenol guest), the role of guest size (phenol versus cresol), and weak but specific intermolecular interactions (herringbone T-motif, C-H...F interactions) drive the crystallization of T-host 1 towards 1D ladder and 2D brick-wall structures, that is, supramolecular isomerism. Host 1 exhibits selectivity for the inclusion of aniline in preference to phenol as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetry-infrared (TG-IR) analysis. The T(onset) value (140 degrees C) of aniline in the TGA is higher than those of phenol and the higher-boiling cresol guests (T(onset)=90-110 degrees C) because the former structure has more O-H...N/N-H...O hydrogen bonds than the clathrate of 1 with phenol which has O-H...O hydrogen bonds. Guest-binding selectivity for same-sized phenol/aniline molecules as a result of differences in hydrogen-bonding motifs is a notable property of host 1. Host-guest clathrates of 1 provide an example of spontaneous chirality evolution during crystallization and a two-in-one host-guest crystal (phenol and aniline), and show how weak C-H...F interactions (o- and m-fluorophenol) can change the molecular arrangement in strongly hydrogen-bonded crystal structures.     

Complexation and chiral recognition thermodynamics of 6-amino-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin with anionic, cationic, and neutral chiral guests: counterbalance between van der Waals and coulombic interactions

The stability constant (K), standard free energy (Delta G degrees), enthalpy (Delta H degrees), and entropy changes (T Delta S degrees) for the complexation of 6-amino-6-deoxy-beta-cyclodextrin with more than 50 negatively or positively charged as well as neutral guests, including 22 enantiomer pairs, have been determined in aqueous phosphate buffer (pH 6.9) at 298.15 K by titration microcalorimetry. The thermodynamic parameters obtained in this study and the relevant data for native beta-cyclodextrin indicate that the complexation and chiral discrimination behavior of the cationic host with charged guests are governed by the critical counterbalance between the electrostatic interactions of the charged groups in host and guest and the conventional intracavity interactions of the hydrophobic moiety of guest, such as hydrophobic, van der Waals, solvation/desolvation, and hydrogen-bonding interactions.     

Novel flexible frameworks of porous cobalt(II) coordination polymers that show selective guest adsorption based on the switching of hydrogen-bond pairs of amide groups

Four porous crystalline coordination polymers with two-dimensional frameworks of a double-edged axe-shaped motif, [[Co(NCS)(2)(3-pia)(2)] x 2 EtOH.11 H(2)O](n) (1 a), [[Co(NCS)(2)(3-pia)(2)] x 4 Me(2)CO](n) (3 a), [[Co(NCS)(2)(3-pia)(2)] x 4T HF](n) (3 b) and [[Co(NCS)(2)(3-pna)(2)](n)] (5), have been synthesized by the reaction of cobalt(II) thiocyanate with N-(3-pyridyl)isonicotinamide (3-pia) or N-(3-pyridyl)nicotinamide (3-pna). X-ray crystallographic characterization reveals that adjacent layers are stacked such that channels are created, except in 5. The channels form a hydrogen-bonded interior for guest molecules; in practice, 1 a contains ethanol and water molecules as guests in the channels with hydrogen bonds, whereas 3 b (3 a) contains tetrahydrofuran (acetone) molecules. In 1 a, the "double-edged axe-shaped" motifs in adjacent sheets are not located over the top of each other, while the motifs in 3 b stack so perfectly as to overlap each other in an edge-to-edge fashion. This subtle change in the three-dimensional framework is associated with the template effect of the guests. Compound 5 has no guest molecules and, therefore, the amide groups in one sheet are used for hydrogen-bonding links with adjacent sheets. Removal of the guest molecules from 1 a and 3 b (3 a) causes a structural conversion accompanied by a color change. Pink 1 a cannot retain its original framework and changes into a blue amorphous compound. On the other hand, the framework of pink 3 b (3 a) is transformed to a new crystalline framework of violet 4. Interestingly, 4 reverts to the original pink crystals of 3 b (3 a) when it is exposed to THF (or acetone) vapor. Spectroscopic measurements (visible, EPR, and IR) provide a clue to the crystal-to-crystal transformation; on removal of the guests, the amide groups are used to form the beta sheet-type hydrogen bonding between the sheets, and thus the framework withstands significant stress on removal of guest molecules. This mechanism is attributed to the arrangement of the adjacent sheets so suited in regularity that the beta sheet-type structure forms efficiently. The apohost 4 does not adsorb cyclopentane, showing a guest selectivity that, in addition to size, hydrogen-bonding capability is required for the guest molecules. The obtained compound is categorized as a member of a new generation of compounds tending towards functional porous coordination polymers.     

Molecule-responsive block copolymer micelles

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization was used to generate an ABC triblock copolymer, containing complementary diamidopyridine (DAP) and thymine (THY) outer blocks, which assembles into spherical aggregates held together by DAP-THY noncovalent interactions. Addition of THY-containing small guest molecules results in complete opening and deaggregation of the block copolymer micelle. This molecular recognition and macroscopic response shows high selectivity to the guest structure, and tolerates only a small amount of conformational mobility in the THY guest. On the other hand, addition of a small DAP-containing guest does not break the aggregates, but instead, results in new micelles which show a different selectivity profile from the parent morphology. We have examined the effect of a number of structural features in the block copolymers, on both the extent and selectivity of their macroscopic response to guests (that is, opening of the micelle). This study has resulted in a set of structural guidelines, which help in the design of effective molecule-responsive micelles for applications in selective drug delivery, sensing, and surface patterning.     

Stepwise Evolution of Molecular Nanoaggregates Inside the Pores of a Highly Flexible Metal–Organic Framework

The crystalline sponge method (CSM) is primarily used for structural determination by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction of a single analyte encapsulated inside a porous MOF. As the host–guest systems often show severe disorder, reliable crystallographic determination is demanding; thus the dynamics of the guest entering and the formation of nanoconfined molecular aggregates has not been in the spotlight. Now, the concept is investigated of the CSM for monitoring the structural evolution of nanoconfined supramolecular aggregates of eugenol guests with displacement of DMF inside the cavities of the flexible MOF, PUM168. The interpretation of the electron density provides a series of unique detailed snapshots depicting the supramolecular guest aggregation, thus showing the tight interplay between the host flexible skeleton and the molecular guests through the DMF‐to‐eugenol exchange process.     

High guest inclusion in 3β-amino-7α,12α-dihydroxycholan-24-oic acid enabled by charge-assisted hydrogen bonds

3β-Amino-7α,12α-dihydroxycholan-24-oic acid (2) forms inclusion compounds with high ratio (host/guest=1/4) of guest methanol. Both hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions are important to the solid structure. The cholates assemble in a head-to-tail fashion to form infinite hydrogen-bonded chains. The chains are interconnected between cholates and also through the guests. Large channels are formed along the crystallographic a axis where most of the methanol molecules are located. Presence of a dominant hydrogen-bonding motif (i.e., ammonium-carboxylate ion pairing) is probably responsible for high guest incorporation.     

Function-Oriented: The Construction of Lanthanide MOF Luminescent Sensors Containing Dual-Function Urea Hydrogen-Bond Sites for Efficient Detection of Picric Acid

Two novel lanthanide metal–organic framework (Ln-MOF) luminescent sensors for the detection of picric acid have been successfully assembled. Following a function-oriented strategy, urea hydrogen-bonding functional sites were introduced into two MOF frameworks. A structural analysis indicated that the two MOFs have the exact same structure, namely 2D layers with diamond-shaped holes that are accumulated into a 3D framework through the hydrogen-bonding interactions between urea and carboxylate groups. Interestingly, only half of the urea units are involved in supporting the MOF framework through N−H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen-bonding interactions, whereas the other half are located in the pore channel and act as empty recognition sites. Abundant N−H urea bonds are present in the inner walls of three types of interpenetrating 1D channels. Luminescence studies revealed that the two Ln-MOFs exhibit high sensitivity, good selectivity, and a fast luminescence quenching response towards picric acid. In particular, the two Ln-MOFs can be simply and quickly regenerated, and exhibit excellent recyclability. In summary, we have successfully used a function-oriented strategy to achieve multiple functions in a ligand to construct lanthanide MOF luminescent sensors for the detection of picric acid, thereby providing a potential strategy for the future development of MOF luminescent sensors with a specific target.     

Structural elucidation of dendritic host-guest complexes by X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics simulations

The multiple monovalent binding of adamantyl-urea poly(propyleneimine) dendrimers with carboxylic acid-urea guests was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations and X-ray crystallography to better understand the structure and behavior of the dynamic multivalent complex in solution. The results from the two methods are consistent and suggest a preferred molecular picture of this complicated aggregate of multiple components. The guest molecules can bind to the dendrimer in a variety of ways although most involve hydrogen-bonding interactions between urea groups of the dendrimer with urea and/or carboxylic acid groups of the guest. In addition, acid-base interactions between the carboxylic acid of the guest and the tertiary amine in the interior of the dendritic host are present. Our proposed structure gives important information about the predominant dynamic interactions between the host and guest and illustrates how they fit together and interact with each other.     

Selectivity in supramolecular host-guest complexes

The background of possible selectivity-affinity correlations and their limitations is reviewed, with typical crown ether and cryptand complexes, ionic associations, hydrogen bonded complexes and complexes driven by van der Waals, stacking or hydrophobic interactions, with some additional topics including associations based on metal coordination as supplementary material. This tutorial review is addressed to students and researchers interested in molecular recognition, and relates to the design of sensors, of discriminators for separation processes, of supramolecular devices and of drug compounds. A theoretical analysis of selectivity in supramolecular host-guest complexes, defined as a difference in binding free energies for structurally related guests, as a function of total binding free energy shows that for certain types of intermolecular interactions one may observe a correlation between selectivity and affinity. Such correlation fails however if the selectivity is due to additional interactions at a secondary binding sites, which is expected in complexes with anisotropic guest molecules. Several clear examples of theoretically expected selectivity-affinity correlations are found. The influence of reaction conditions on the experimentally observed selectivity, defined as a difference in complexation degrees with different guests in the presence of added receptor, is illustrated. The importance of often neglected solvent effects on selectivity is exemplified with ionophore and hydrogen bonded complexes.     

A hydrogen-bonding receptor that binds cationic monosaccharides with high affinity in methanol

A dicarboxylate host (1) binds cationic monosaccharides such as D-glucosamine HCl (2), D-galactosamine-HCl (3), and D-mannosamine-HCl (4) with high affinity (K1 = 8.0 x 10(4)-2.0 x 10(5) M(-1)) in methanol. In circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy a positive exciton-coupling band was observed near 290 nm; this indicates that the saccharides are recognized by multiple point interactions. Since the corresponding neutral monosaccharides are not significantly bound, one may conclude that complex formation is primarily due to the electrostatic interaction between NH3+ in the guest and one carboxylate in the host and secondarily due to hydrogen-bonding interactions of OH groups with the other carboxylate and/or nitrogen bases. Molar ratio plots and Job plots indicate that host 1 and cationic monosaccharide guests form CD-active, pseudo-cyclic 1:1 complexes at low guest concentration followed by the formation of CD-silent, acyclic 1:2 1-saccharide complexes at high guest concentration. The possible binding modes are discussed in detail on the basis of molecular mechanics calculations and chemical shift changes in 1H NMR spectra. The results of competition experiments with several cationic reference compounds bearing fewer OH groups than 2-4 are consistent with the proposed binding model. Thus, the present study is a rare example of saccharide recognition in a protic solvent, where in general, hydrogen-bonding interactions are rarely useful because of strong solvation energy. These are apparently the strongest saccharide complexes involving noncovalent interactions between host and guest. We believe that the findings are significant as a milestone toward development of new saccharide recognition systems ultimately useful in aqueous solution.     

Template‐Induced Diverse Metal–Organic Materials as Catalysts for the Tandem Acylation–Nazarov Cyclization

In our continuing quest to develop a metal–organic framework (MOF)‐catalyzed tandem pyrrole acylation–Nazarov cyclization reaction with α,β‐unsaturated carboxylic acids for the synthesis of cyclopentenone[b]pyrroles, which are key intermediates in the synthesis of natural product (±)‐roseophilin, a series of template‐induced Zn‐based ( 1–3 ) metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) have been solvothermally synthesized and characterized. Structural conversions from non‐porous MOF 1 to porous MOF 2 , and back to non‐porous MOF 3 arising from the different concentrations of template guest have been observed. The anion–π interactions between the template guests and ligands could affect the configuration of ligands and further tailor the frameworks of 1–3 . Futhermore, MOFs 1–3 have shown to be effective heterogeneous catalysts for the tandem acylation–Nazarov cyclization reaction. In particular, the unique structural features of 2 , including accessible catalytic sites and suitable channel size and shape, endow 2 with all of the desired features for the MOF‐catalyzed tandem acylation–Nazarov cyclization reaction, including heterogeneous catalyst, high catalytic activity, robustness, and excellent selectivity. A plausible mechanism for the catalytic reaction has been proposed and the structure–reactivity relationship has been further clarified. Making use of 2 as a heterogeneous catalyst for the reaction could greatly increase the yield of total synthesis of (±)‐roseophilin.     

Influencing the size and anion selectivity of dimeric Ln(3+)[15-metallacrown-5] compartments through systematic variation of the host side chains and central metal

Dimeric Ln(3+)[15-metallacrown-5] compartments selectively recognize carboxylates through guest binding to host metal ions and intermolecular interactions with the phenyl side chains. A systematic study is presented on how the size, selectivity, and number of encapsulated guests in the dimeric containers is influenced by the Ln(3+)[15-metallacrown(Cu(II))-5] ligand side chain and central metal. Compartments of varying heights were assembled from metallacrowns with S-phenylglycine hydroxamic acid (pgHA), S-phenylalanine hydroxamic acid (pheHA), and S-homophenylalanine hydroxamic acid (hpheHA) ligands. Guests that were examined include the fully deprotonated forms of terephthalic acid, isonicotinic acid, and bithiophene dicarboxylic acid (btDC). X-ray crystallography reveals that the side-chain length constrains the maximum and minimum length guest that can be encapsulated in the compartment. Compartments with heights ranging from 9.7 to 15.2 ? are formed with different phenyl side chains that complex 4.3-9.2 ? long guests. Up to five guests are accommodated in Ln(3+)[15-metallacrown(Cu(II))-5] compartments depending on steric effects from the host side chains. The nine-coordinate La(3+) central metal promotes the encapsulation of multiple guests, while the eight-coordinate Gd(3+) typically binds only one dicarboxylate. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry reveals that the dimerization phenomenon occurs beyond the solid state, suggesting that these containers can be utilized in solid-state and solution applications.     

Rapid screening of a receptor with molecular memory

[reaction: see text] Atropisomeric receptor 1 can change conformation and maintain the new conformation when heated and cooled in the presence of a guest molecule. This molecular memory can be used as a rapid method of screening potential guests. Heating atropisomeric diacid 1 with various hydrogen-bonding guests leads to a shift in the syn/anti ratio that could be easily monitored as it is stable at room temperature even in the absence of the guest molecules.     

Permanent microporosity and enantioselective sorption in a chiral open framework

A homochiral microporous material is presented. The phase has 47% permanently porous void volume and is shown to have >1 nm diameter pores with three-dimensional channels using probe molecule sorption. Enantioselective guest sorption is strongly dependent on guest size. The homochiral microporous phase was identified by reactive selection from a first-generation chiral but nonporous framework. Chiral permanent porosity is established by directional noncovalent interactions between framework-forming and nonframework forming components of the stable second-generation material, which become stronger upon loss of the guests from the pore system.