Facile synthesis of cucurbit[n]uril derivatives via direct functionalization: expanding utilization of cucurbit[n]uril

A long-standing problem in cucurbituril chemistry is answered through the first direct functionalization of cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]; n = 5-8)) leading to perhydroxyCB[n] which can be further modified to provide tailored CB[n] derivatives with desired functional groups and good solubility. Anchoring a CB[6] derivative on the surface and its potential application as a sensor are demonstrated. A CB[6] derivative forms nanospheres with possible use in protein and peptide drug delivery.     

The cucurbit[n]uril family

In 1981, the macrocyclic methylene-bridged glycoluril hexamer (CB[6]) was dubbed "cucurbituril" by Mock and co-workers because of its resemblance to the most prominent member of the cucurbitaceae family of plants--the pumpkin. In the intervening years, the fundamental binding properties of CB[6]-high affinity, highly selective, and constrictive binding interactions--have been delineated by the pioneering work of the research groups of Mock, Kim, and Buschmann, and has led to their applications in waste-water remediation, as artificial enzymes, and as molecular switches. More recently, the cucurbit[n]uril family has grown to include homologues (CB[5]-CB[10]), derivatives, congeners, and analogues whose sizes span and exceed the range available with the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-cyclodextrins. Their shapes, solubility, and chemical functionality may now be tailored by synthetic chemistry to play a central role in molecular recognition, self-assembly, and nanotechnology. This Review focuses on the synthesis, recognition properties, and applications of these unique macrocycles.     

Cucurbit[5]uril, Decamethylcucurbit[5]uril and Cucurbit[6]uril. Synthesis, Solubility and Amine Complex Formation

A simple way to prepare cucurbit[5]uril is described. The macrocycles of the cucurbituril type are nearly insoluble in water. The solubilities of cucurbit[5]uril, decamethylcucurbit[5]uril and cucurbit[6]uril in hydrochloric acid, formic acid and acetic acid of different concentrations have been investigated. Due to the formation of complexes between cucurbit[n]urils and protons the solubility increases in aqueous acids. The macrocyclic ligands are able to form complexes with several organic compounds. Thus, the complex formation of the cucurbituril macrocycles with different amines has beenstudied by means of calorimetric titrations. The reaction enthalpy gives noevidence of the formation of inclusion or exclusion complexes. ¹H-NMR measurements show that in the case of cucurbit[5]uril and cucurbit[6]uril the organic guest compound is included within the hydrophobic cavity. Decamethylcucurbit[5]uril forms only exclusion complexes with organicamines. This was confirmed by the crystal structure of the decamethylcucurbit[5]uril-1,6-diaminohexane complex.     

Design of a fluorescent dye for indicator displacement from cucurbiturils: a macrocycle-responsive fluorescent switch operating through a pKa shift

The derivatization of 3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole with a diamino-alkyl anchor affords a fluorescent dye suitable for indicator displacement from cucurbituril macrocycles. The novel compound 1 shows, due to a complexation-induced pKa shift, a large and predictable dual fluorescence response (100-fold increase at 375 nm and 9-fold decrease at 458 nm) upon supramolecular encapsulation and a strong affinity for cation-receptor macrocycles, in particular cucurbit[6]uril (CB6). A direct application is presented by monitoring the enzymatic activity of lysine decarboxylase.     

Cucurbit[6]uril pseudorotaxanes: distinctive gas-phase dissociation and reactivity

Cucurbit[6]uril forms a doubly charged complex with 1,4-butanediammonium cation that is observed using electrospray ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry. Such 1:1 complexes are not observed for the smaller cucurbit[5]uril, which forms a 2:1 ammonium:cucurbituril complex instead. The 1:1 complex with cucurbit[6]uril is difficult to fragment via collisional activation; when it does fragment, both breakup of the cucurbituril cage and loss of the amine are observed. Further, the complex reacts with tert-butylamine via slow adduction. In contrast, nonrotaxane analogues (such as doubly charged 2:1 complexes of either protonated 1,4-butanediamine or protonated ethylenediamine with cucurbit[6]uril) fragment via easy loss of the intact amine upon collisional activation and react with tert-butylamine via rapid displacement of the original amine. On the basis of stoichiometry, fragmentation behavior, and reactivity, we conclude that the doubly charged complex of cucurbit[6]uril with 1,4-butanediammonium is a gas-phase pseudorotaxane.     

荧光光谱法研究葫芦[7]脲与6-巯嘌呤和腺嘌呤的包结作用

采用荧光光谱法分别研究了葫芦[7]脲(CB[7])对6-巯嘌呤(6-MP)和腺嘌呤(ADP)的包结作用。实验考察了时间、pH值以及温度对荧光强度和包结作用的影响,利用Benesi-Hildebrand方程分别计算出6-MP和ADP与CB[7]的包结常数。结果表明:酸度对体系的包结有明显的影响。在pH值为8.0和2.0左右时,6-MP和ADP分别具有稳定和最佳激发和发射波长,随着CB[7]浓度的增大,体系的荧光强度都有明显增强,包结作用迅速(小于5 min)。实验得出CB[7]与6-MP和ADP的包结比均为1∶1,在298 K时的包结常数分别为3.6797×102L·mol-1和2.2033×102L·mol-1。通过热力学参数的变化,探讨了维系包结物稳定性的主要作用力。CB[7]是葫芦脲家族中水溶性最强的主体分子,作为一种安全低毒的药物载体极具潜力。     

Self-assembled (pseudo)rotaxane and polyrotaxane through host–guest chemistry based on the cucurbituril family

Cucurbit[n]uril and its derivatives, a new family of macrocyclic hosts comprising n glycoluril units, have gained much attention for their exceptional application in many fields. In this review, we introduced the cucurbituril family and the development of its derivatives, which can be used in the molecular recognition and self-assembled materials such as pseudorotaxane, polyrotaxane. Moreover, cucurbituril provides the possibility to design stimulus–response devices and imitate the life secret at molecule level, such as the molecular devices controlled by pH, photochemistry, thermal and so on.     

Acyclic congener of cucurbituril: synthesis and recognition properties

The cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) family of macrocycles occupies a prominent role in molecular recognition and self-assembly studies despite the current inability to access specific cucurbit[n]uril homologues, derivatives, and analogues by straightforward tailor-made synthetic procedures. In this paper, we explore an approach that circumvents the challenges posed by the tailor-made synthesis of macrocyclic CB[n] by preparing 1, which functions as an acyclic CB[6] congener. The o-xylylene connections to the glycoluril rings preorganize 1 into the (a,a,a,a)-1 conformation required for binding and reduce its tendency to undergo self-association. We surveyed the binding properties of 1 toward 16 amines (K(a) 相似文献   

水-盐酸两步法分离瓜环混合物

根据各元瓜环在水和盐酸两种溶剂中溶解度的不同, 提出了一种通过水-盐酸两步分离混合瓜环的方法. 探讨了溶剂用量、盐酸浓度等因素对分离效果的影响, 确定了最佳的分离工艺条件, 使CB[5], CB[6], CB[7]和CB[8]的分离产率分别达到78.9%, 92.0%, 88.0%和75.0%. 分离得到的瓜环单体经核磁共振检测, 纯度在95%以上, 其中CB[5]的纯度达到98%. 研究结果表明, 本工艺是一种简单有效的分离混合瓜环的方法.     

Controlling the Reactivity of the SeSe Bond by the Supramolecular Chemistry of Cucurbituril

We describe a new strategy to control the reactivity of Se?Se bond by using supramolecular chemistry of cucurbituril. We have demonstrated that selenocystamine (SeCy) and cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) can form a stable supramolecular complex (K_a=5.5×10⁶ M ^?1). Before complexation, the free Se?Se bond in SeCy is rather sensitive to redox stimuli and gets disrupted quickly with addition of reductant or oxidant. However, after binding with CB[6], the Se?Se bond becomes quite inert and hardly reacts with reductant or oxidant. One advantage of this supramolecular protection is that it can be applied in a wide pH range from weakly acidic to basic. Additionally, the supramolecular complex formed by SeCy and CB[6] can be reversibly dissociated simply with addition of Ba²⁺.     

Preparation of Novel Side-chain Pseudopolyrotaxanes Consisting of Cucurbituril[6] and Polyamine Salts

Pseudorotaxane monomer （VBCB） containing cucurbitutil[6] （CB[6]） and N^1-（4-vinylbenzyl）-1,4-diaminobutane dihydrochloride （VBDADC） is obtained by self-assembly of cucurbituril[6] with VBDADC in water and then polymerized using potassium persulfate （KPS） as initiator to give novel water-soluble side-chain cucurbituril[6]-based pseudopolyrotaxane（PVBCB）. The chemical structures of PVBCB, VBCB and VBDADC are confirmed by ^1H NMR,^13C NMR spectra and elemental analysis. In VBCB, CB[6] is localized aliphatic group of the side chain and the molar ratio of CB[6] to VBDAC is 1：1 .     

Synthesis and X-ray structure of the inclusion complex of dodecamethylcucurbit[6]uril with 1,4-dihydroxybenzene

The synthesis, and X-ray crystal structure of the inclusion host-guest complex of dodecamethylcucurbit[6]uril (DDMeQ[6]) with 1,4-dihydroxybenzene (DHOBEN) are reported. The complex crystallizes in the space group P21/c (No.14) with a =12.2847(4), b = 12.6895(4), c = 15.1310(4) A, alpha = 74.6960(10), beta = 71.4090(10), gamma = 86.5090(10) degrees and Z = 1. A novel approach to dodecamethylcucurbit[6]uril synthesis is also described. To separate dodecamethylcucurbit[6]uril, 1,4-dihydroxybenzene is used as a guest molecule for crystallization of the fully methyl-substituted cucurbituril. The driving force for the self-assembled inclusion host-guest complex can be attributed to not only the cavity interaction of dodecamethylcucurbit[6]uril (host), but also to the hydrogen bonding between the carbonyl oxygen at the portals of the host and the hydroxy groups of the guest.     

Complexation behavior of cucurbit[6]uril with short polypeptides

The binding properties of cucurbit[6]uril towards various peptides have been investigated in acidic aqueous solution. Stability constants and thermodynamic values of the complex formation between following peptides: glycyl-l-alanine, l-leucyl-l-valine, glycyl-l-asparagine, l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine, l-leucyl-l-tryptophan, glycyl-l-histidine, l-glutathione reduced (γ-l-glutamyl-l-cysteinyl-glycine, GSH), and dl-leucyl-glycyl-dl-phenylalanine) with cucurbit[6]uril in aqueous formic acid (50%, v/v) have been calculated from calorimetric titrations. From these results it can be seen that the peptides form exclusion complexes with cucurbit[6]uril. Due to the polar peptide bond they are not included within the hydrophobic cavity of cucurbit[6]uril. The complex formation is favoured by entropic contributions. The release of water molecules from the polar amino groups of the peptides and the carbonyl groups of cucurbituril are responsible.     

葫芦脲的研究进展

近几年葫芦脲和其衍生物由于其特殊的结构与性质已引起的密切关注。本文综述了葫芦脲的最新研究进展,包括葫芦脲分子及其衍生物的分子设计与合成,与聚电解质形成主链（准）聚轮烷和侧链（准）聚轮烷,与其他有机客体小分子相互作用形成轮烷和准轮烷,以及葫芦脲分子及其衍生物在囊泡、二维聚合物、色谱固定相、生物体以及药物缓释方面的最新应用。     

Fluorescent uranyl ion lidded cucurbit[5]uril capsule

A novel fluorescent complex {(UO(2))(2)(CB5)}(NO(3))(4)·4HNO(3).3H(2)O (U2CB5) is obtained from cucurbit[5]uril (CB5) and uranyl nitrate under ambient temperature conditions. The crystal structure revealed that two uranyl ions are coordinated to the two open portals of CB5 giving a closed molecular capsule, which further connected through CB5 molecules to give two-dimensional frameworks. The U2CB5 complex was further investigated by NMR, FTIR and TGA techniques. The Fluorescence of uranyl ion was found to be enhanced due to complexation with cucurbituril.     

季铵化聚4-乙烯吡啶衍生物与葫芦脲[6]的超分子自组装及性质研究

通过葫芦[6]脲(CB[6])与季铵化聚4-乙烯吡啶衍生物2在水溶液中于室温下进行超分子组装, 得到一种新型的超分子聚合物3, 并通过¹H NMR, IR, 元素分析, X射线粉末衍射分析(XRD)对其结构进行了表征, 证实CB[6]位于2的侧基脂肪链上, 通过非共价键与2结合; 通过热重分析(TGA)、紫外-可见吸收(UV-vis)对其性质进行了研究, 证实了超分子聚合物3比相应的聚合物2有更高的热稳定性, 以及更强的UV-vis吸收.     

Binding modes of cucurbit[6]uril and cucurbit[7]uril with a series of bis-pyridinium compounds

Binding behaviors of cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) with a series of bis-pyridinium compounds N, N’-hexamethylenebis(1-alkyl-4-carbamoyl pyridinium bromide) (HBPB-n) (alkyl chain length, n = 6, 8 and 10) guests were investigated using ¹H-NMR, ESI–MS and single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The results show that CB[6] and CB[7] can form [2]pseudorotaxanes with HBPB-n easily. When increasing the length of tail alkyl chain, the binding site of CB[6] at guest molecules changed from the tail to the middle part, while CB[7] remained located over the tail chain. As CB[6] and CB[7] were added in HBPB-8 aqueous solution, a [3]pseudorotaxane was formed by the inclusion of the internal middle site in CB[6] and the tail chain in CB[7].     

Diastereoselective formation of glycoluril dimers: isomerization mechanism and implications for cucurbit[n]uril synthesis

Cucurbit[6]uril (CB[6]) is a macrocyclic compound, prepared in one pot from glycoluril and formaldehyde, whose molecular recognition properties have made it the object of intense study. Studies of the mechanism of CB[n] formation, which might provide insights that allow the tailor-made synthesis of CB[n] homologues and derivatives, have been hampered by the complex structure of CB[n]. By reducing the complexity of the reaction to the formation of S-shaped (12S-18S) and C-shaped (12C-18C) methylene bridged glycoluril dimers, we have been able to probe the fundamental steps of the mechanism of CB[n] synthesis to a level that has not been possible previously. For example, we present strong evidence that the mechanism of CB[n] synthesis proceeds via the intermediacy of both S-shaped and C-shaped dimers. The first experimental determination of the relative free energies of the S-shaped and C-shaped dimers indicates a thermodynamic preference (1.55-3.25 kcal mol(-)(1)) for the C-shaped diastereomer. This thermodynamic preference is not because of self-association, solvation, or template effects. Furthermore, labeling experiments have allowed us to elucidate the mechanism of this acid-catalyzed equilibrium between the S-shaped and C-shaped diastereomers. The equilibration is an intramolecular process that proceeds with high diastereoselectivity and retention of configuration. On the basis of the broad implications of these results for CB[n] synthesis, we suggest new synthetic strategies that may allow for the improved preparation of CB[n] (n > 8) and CB[n] derivatives from functionalized glycolurils.     

The cucurbit[n]uril family: prime components for self-sorting systems

We determined the values of Ka for a wide range of host-guest complexes of cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]), where n = 6-8, using 1H NMR competition experiments referenced to absolute binding constants measured by UV/vis titration. We find that the larger homologues--CB[7] and CB[8]--individually maintain the size, shape, and functional group selectivity that typifies the recognition behavior of CB[6]. The cavity of CB[7] is found to effectively host trimethylsilyl groups. Remarkably, the values of Ka for the interaction of CB[7] with adamantane derivatives 22-24 exceeds 10(12) M(-1)! The high levels of selectivity observed for each CB[n] individually is also observed for the CB[n] family collectively. That is, the selectivities of CB[6], CB[7], and CB[8] toward a common guest can be remarkably large. For example, guests 1, 3, and 11 prefer CB[8] relative to CB[7] by factors greater than 10(7), 10(6), and 3000, respectively. Conversely, guests 23 and 24 prefer CB[7] relative to CB[8] by factors greater than 5100 and 990, respectively. The high levels of selectivity observed individually and collectively for the CB[n] family renders them prime components for the preparation of functional biomimetic self-sorting systems.     

Cucurbit[n]uril formation proceeds by step-growth cyclo-oligomerization

In contrast to the high yield formation of cucurbit[n]uril (CB[n]) from a 1:2 ratio of glycoluril to formaldehyde, the condensation of glycoluril with less than 2 equiv of formaldehyde delivers a reaction mixture that contains glycoluril oligomers (2-6) and CB[n] compounds that lack one or more methylene bridges known as nor-seco-cucurbit[n]urils (ns-CB[n]). In this paper we report the chromatographic purification of C-shaped glycoluril oligomers (dimer-hexamer), their characterization in solution, and their X-ray crystal structures. Quite interestingly, despite being acyclic glycoluril pentamer 5 and hexamer 6 retain the ability to bind to guests typical of CB[6] but are also able to expand their cavity to accommodate larger guests like cationic adamantane derivatives. We performed product resubmission experiments with glycoluril oligomers 2-6 and found preferences for the formation of specific ring sizes during CB[n] formation. A comprehensive mechanistic scheme is proposed that accounts for the observed formation of 2-6 and ns-CB[n]. Overall, the experiments establish that a step-growth cyclo-oligomerization process operates during CB[n] formation.