Guest binding and orientation within open nanoscale hosts

The synthesis of three different nanoscale molecular hosts is reported. These cavitands each possess a highly preorganized cavity with an open portal (nearly 1 nm wide), by which guests can enter and egress the cavity. Additionally, these hosts are deep-functionalized with a crown of weakly acidic benzal C-H groups which can form a variety of noncovalent interactions with guest molecules residing within the cavity. Thirty-one guests were examined for their propensity to form complexes with the hosts. Guests that possess halogen atoms were the strongest binders, suggesting the formation of polydentate C-H triplebond X-R hydrogen bonds with the deep crown of benzal hydrogens. Exchange rates between the free and bound states were noted to be dependent on the size of the guest and the solvent used to study complexation. In general, stronger binding and slower exchange were noted for complexations carried out in DMSO with highly complementary guests. The orientation of each guest within the cavity was determined using either EXSY NMR spectroscopy or (1)H NMR shift data. Cumulatively these results showed that the principal factors directing orientation were interactions with the benzal groups and the type of solvent. Van't Hoff analyses of selected complexations were also carried out. As well as revealing that all complexations were entropically unfavorable, these experiments provided support for guest orientation determinations, and gave an estimation that the formation of a C-H triplebond I-R hydrogen bond releases between 1 and 1.5 kcal mol(-1).     

GeB4O9 x H2en: an organically templated borogermanate with large 12-ring channels built by B4O9 polyanions and GeO4 units: host-guest symmetry and charge matching in triangular-tetrahedral frameworks

A new borogermanate open-framework, FJ-18, with intersecting 12-/8-, 9-, and 9-ring channels in multidimensions was synthesized by using an organic diamine as structure-directing agent (SDA). X-ray diffraction showed that its structure is constructed by flexible connection of strictly alternate B(4)O(9) clusters (with fictitious tetrahedral geometry) and GeO(4) tetrahedra to form a zeotype framework with the CrB(4) topology. The topology and structural relations between FJ-18 and FJ-16, a known borogermanate based on the linkage of B(4)O(9) clusters and GeO(4) units, are described in detail. Different guest SDAs can, by means of their shape, size, and charge, directly influence the structure of the host framework, and the origin of these phenomena can be attributed to fundamental parameters such as host-guest symmetry and charge matching through H-bonding interactions, the concept of which has for the first time been extended to tetrahedral-triangular frameworks. This result is a part of our ongoing work aimed at making new large-pore materials constructed from B-O polyanions and Ge-O cluster units.     

Structural and magnetic modulation of a purely organic open framework by selective guest inclusion

Solvent inclusion/evacuation caused variations in the structural and magnetic characteristics of the purely organic porous magnet based on the tricarboxylic-substituted PTMTC radical. Whereas no inclusion is observed for nonpolar solvents, the exposure of crystals of the alpha-phase of PTMTC to vapors of polar organic solvents with hydrogen acceptor and/or donor functionalities, such as, ethanol, benzoic alcohol, n-decanol, THF, and DMSO results in the inclusion of these solvents in the highly polar tubular channels of the alpha-phase. The resulting inclusion compounds of formula PTMTC.x(guest) show several structural rearrangements, as confirmed by IR and XRPD (X-ray powder diffraction) measurements. The crystal transformations have been studied for a specific case: the PTMTC.EtOH adduct. The crystal structure reveals that included guest solvent molecules participate in the formation of new hydrogen bonds with the carboxylic groups of PTMTC radicals, inducing the disruption of several direct hydrogen bonds among these radicals. As expected, the interruption of direct hydrogen bonds between PTMTC radicals induces large transformations in the magnetic properties. From the ferromagnetic behavior of the alpha-phase, predominant antiferromagnetic interactions are observed for the inclusion adducts. Interestingly, both structural and magnetic changes are reversible after removal of guest solvent molecules.     

Adsorption and dynamics of long-range interacting fullerenes in a flexible, two-dimensional, nanoporous porphyrin network.

Herein, a detailed investigation of the adsorption and dynamics of C60 and C70 fullerenes hosted in a self-assembled, two-dimensional, nanoporous porphyrin network on a solid Ag surface is presented. Time-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) studies of these supramolecular systems at the molecular scale reveal distinct host-guest interactions giving rise to a pronounced dissimilar mobility of the two fullerenes within the porphyrin network. Furthermore, long-range coverage-dependent interactions between the all-carbon guests, which clearly affect their mobility and are likely mediated by a complex mechanism involving the Ag substrate and the flexible porphyrin host network, are observed. At increased fullerene coverage, this unprecedented interplay results in the formation of large fullerene chains and islands. By applying a lattice gas model with nearest-neighbor interactions and by evaluating the fullerene-pair distribution functions, the respective coverage-dependent guest-guest interaction energies are estimated.     

Unique guest-inclusion properties of a breathing ionic crystal of K3[Cr3O(OOCH)6(H2O)3][alpha-SiW12O40].16 H2O

A microstructured ionic crystal, K(3)[Cr(3)O(OOCH)(6)(H(2)O)(3)][alpha-SiW(12)O(40)].16 H(2)O (1) was synthesized by the complexation of the Keggin-type polyoxometalate of [alpha-SiW(12)O(40)](4-) with a macrocation of [Cr(3)O(OOCH)(6)(H(2)O)(3)](+). Compound 1 possessed a straight channel, with an opening of approximately 0.5x0.8 nm, which contained the water of crystallization. The use of the macrocation with large size (0.7 nm) and small charge (+1) reduced the anion-cation interaction and was essential for the channel formation. The molecular structures of the polyoxometalate and the macrocation in 1 were retained under vacuum at 473 K. Analogues of 1 were synthesized with [alpha-PVW(11)O(40)](4-) or [Fe(3)O(OOCH)(6)(H(2)O)(3)](+). The water of crystallization in 1 was removed under vacuum at room temperature to form the closely packed guest-free phase 2. Compound 2 reversibly and repeatedly included water and polar organic molecules with two carbon atoms or less. Guest inclusion was highly selective and a difference of even one methylene group in the organic guest molecule was discriminated by the host. Polar organic molecules with longer methylene chains and nonpolar molecules such as dinitrogen and methane were completely excluded. The guest-inclusion properties could be explained by the ion-dipole interaction between the host and the guest, which is proportional to the dipole moment of the guest molecule and inversely proportional to the ion-dipole (host-guest) distance. Thus, small polar molecules were selectively absorbed. These distinctive guest-inclusion properties were successfully applied to the oxidation of methanol from a mixture of C(1) and C(2) alcohols. These results show unique guest inclusion and catalysis by rationally designed ionic crystals.