Modular synthesis of di- and tripeptides of luminescent crown ether aminocarboxylic acids

Luminescent benzo crown ether aminocarboxylic acids with ammonium ion affinity were prepared and converted into linear bis- and tris benzo crown ether amides using standard peptide coupling protocols. The affinities of the new crown ethers to ammonium ions and di- and tetrapeptides bearing ammonium ion moieties were determined by emission titration in methanol and buffered water.     

Binding of a hemoregulatory tetrapeptide by a bis-guanidinium crown ether

A synthetic receptor for the molecular recognition of a tetrapeptide in aqueous buffer was obtained by combining a luminescent crown ether with two pyrrole-guanidinium moieties. The compound interacts with ammonium carboxylates of complementary geometry and binds the hemoregulatory peptide Ac-Ser-Asp-Lys-Pro with K=7×10³ M⁻¹ at physiological pH. Shorter fragments and other tetrapeptides show no or significant reduced affinity. The binding of the target peptide to the functionalized crown ether is signalled by an increase of its emission intensity.     

Enantiomeric separations of amino acids with inductively coupled plasma carbon emission detection

A chiral crown ether column with a pH 1.9 perchloric acid buffered aqueous mobile phase is used to separate amino acid enantiomers by high performance liquid chromatography. An inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer coupled to the chromatographic system is used as a detector by monitoring the carbon atomic emission line at 193.09 nm. Seven underivatized amino acids are separated and detected resulting in an average mass detection limit of 5 ng (2.5 ng carbon). The chiral crown ether column resolves compounds with a primary amino group near the chiral center by forming a complex between the crown ether and an ammonium ion moiety from the sample. The -form amino acid always elutes faster than its antipode. The carbon emission detector provides nearly identical sensitivities and similar detection limits for any compounds with comparable mass percents of carbon. Quantification is performed on unknown ratios of amino acids using an internal standard without the need for a calibration curve. Summing the calculated amounts of and amino acid and comparing to the known mixture quantity results in an average error of 1.0% for the seven amino acids separated.     

Chiral NMR discrimination of piperidines and piperazines using (18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid

Enantiomeric discrimination is observed in the (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra of piperidines and piperazines in the presence of (-)-(18-crown-6)-2,3,11,12-tetracarboxylic acid. The amines are protonated by the carboxylic acid groups of the crown ether to produce the corresponding ammonium and carboxylate ions. Association of the ammonium ion with the crown ether likely involves two hydrogen bonds with the crown ether oxygen atoms and an ion pair with the carboxylate anion. Methyl, hydroxymethyl, phenyl, carboxyl, pyridyl, and cyclohexyl substituent groups alpha to the nitrogen atom do not inhibit binding of the ammonium ion to the crown ether. The NMR spectra of piperidines with the stereogenic center alpha or beta to the nitrogen atom exhibit substantial enantiomeric discrimination. Dibasic substrates such as the piperizines are likely converted to their diprotonated form in the presence of the crown ether, and both nitrogen atoms appear to associate with the crown ether moiety.     

Metal ion separations with proton-ionizable crown ethers and their polymers

Abstract

Lipophilic crown ethers with pendent proton-ionizable groups are novel complexing agents for use in metal ion separations by solvent extraction. For a series of structurally related, lipophilic dibenzocrown ether carboxylic acids, the efficiency and selectivity of competitive alkali metal cation extraction for aqueous solution into chloroform is found to be strongly influenced by the crown ether ring size and the lipophilic group attachment site. Reaction of dibenzocrown ether carboxylic acids with formaldehyde in formic acid produces condensation polymers which possess both ion-exchange and cyclic polyether binding sites for metal ion complexation. These resins exhibit excellent exchange kinetics for competitive alkali metal cation sorption from aqueous solution and subsequent stripping and may be used in concentrator columns for the recovery of these metal ions from very dilute aqueous solution. Cation selectivity in the sorption and stripping steps is controlled by the structure of the crown ether monomer unit.     

Positive ion pair cooperativity exhibited for the binding of phosphate under physiological conditions

The synthesis of a heteroditopic receptor which exhibits positive cooperativity for the binding of phosphate ion pairs under physiological conditions. Optimised complementarity between crown ether host and metal guest leads to increased binding affinity, Ka.     

Cooperative self-assembly and molecular binding behavior of cyclodextrin-crown ether conjugates mediated by alkali metal ions

In order to quantitatively investigate their molecular binding ability, a series of cyclodextrin-crown ether conjugates containing beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD) and crown ether units, i.e.N-(benzoaza-15-crown-5)acylaminomethylene tethered 6-diethylenetriamino-6-deoxy-beta-CyD, N-(benzoaza-15-crown-5)acylaminomethylene tethered 6-triethylenetetraamino-6-deoxy-beta-CyD and 4',5'-dimethylene-benzo-15-crown-5 tethered 6-diethylenetriamino-6-deoxy-beta-CyD, have been prepared as ditopic molecular receptors. Their inclusion complexation behavior with four representative fluorescent dyes, i.e. ammonium 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS), sodium 6-toluidino-2-naphthalenesulfonate (TNS), acridine red (AR) and rhodamine B (RhB), has been comprehensively investigated in aqueous NaH2PO4/Na2HPO4 or KH2PO4/K2HPO4 buffer solution (pH 7.20) by means of circular dichroism, fluorescence, and 2D NMR spectra. The results indicate that the self-assembly of crown ether modified beta-CyD mediated by potassium ion exhibits a dimeric structure, which significantly enhances the original binding ability and molecular selectivity of parent beta-CyD and its derivatives towards guest molecules through the cooperative binding of two hydrophobic CyD cavities with one guest. This cooperative binding mode of K+/CyD-crown ether systems are further confirmed by Job's experiments and 2D NMR investigations. Attributed to the positive contributions from the metal-ligated crown ether cap and K+-mediated dimerization of CyDs, the binding constant (Ks) values of CyD-crown ether conjugates toward ANS are 10-83 times higher than that of beta-CyD. The increased binding ability and molecular selectivity of CyD-crown ether conjugates are discussed from the viewpoints of size/shape-fit and multiple recognition mechanism.     

Cation complexation behavior of pyrene- and anthracene-appended new crown ether derivatives

Pyrene- and anthracene-appended new crown ether derivatives have been synthesized by Schiff's base reaction, and cation complexation behavior was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy measurements. Based on photo-induced electron transfer and intramolecular charge transfer mechanism, the host molecules emit stronger fluorescence in the presence of various cations Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+) and NH(4)(+) since the complexation between guest cations and crown ether compounds inhibit partial electron transfer from the nitrogen atom to the chromophores and subsequently fluorescence is enhanced. The binding constants were estimated from the plots of the fraction of binding sites filled for crown ether compound as a function of free-ion concentration. Results show that 15-crown-5 derivatives exhibit higher binding ability with sodium cations while 18-crown-6 derivatives had higher affinity for potassium cations, which is consistent with the hole-size relationship of the crown ethers. Ammonium ion complexation caused largest fluorescence enhancement. It is understood that ammonium ion cannot only complex with crown ether, but also interact directly with the lone pair electrons of nitrogen atom in C=N bond so that electron transfer from the nitrogen atom to chromophores is further inhibited.     

Multivalency in the Gas Phase: H/D Exchange Reactions Unravel the Dynamic “Rock ’n’ Roll” Motion in Dendrimer–Dendrimer Complexes

Noncovalent dendrimer–dendrimer complexes were successfully ionized by electrospray ionization of partly protonated amino‐terminated polypropylene amine (POPAM) and POPAM dendrimers fully functionalized with benzo[21]crown‐7 on all branches. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange (HDX) experiments conducted on dendrimer–dendrimer complexes in the high vacuum of a mass spectrometer give rise to a complete exchange of all labile NH hydrogen atoms. As crown ethers represent noncovalent protective groups against HDX reactions on the ammonium group to which they are coordinated, this result provides evidence for a very dynamic binding situation: each crown is mobile enough to move from one ammonium binding site to another. Schematically, one might compare this motion with two rock ’n’ roll dancers that swirl around each other without completely losing all contact at any time. Although the multivalent attachment certainly increases the overall affinity, the “microdynamics” of individual site binding and dissociation remains fast.     

4]Pseudorotaxanes with remarkable self-sorting selectivities

The synthesis and characterization of several self-assembled [4]pseudorotaxanes is reported, some of which form in a programmed way based on two similar yet orthogonal crown ether/secondary ammonium ion binding motifs. A preference for the formation of a [4]pseudorotaxane with an antiparallel rather than parallel alignment of crown ether building blocks is observed even in the absence of such orthogonal binding sites, when a homodivalent axle is used.     

The unusually high proton affinity of aza-18-crown-6 ether: implications for the molecular recognition of lysine in peptides by lariat crown ethers

Recent studies have shown that 18-crown-6 ether (18C6) will selectively form adducts in the gas phase with small, lysine containing peptides. The present study extends this work by investigating the ability of aza-18-crown-6 ether (A18C6) and L1 (a simple lariat crown ether derivative of A18C6) to form similar noncovalent adducts with the side chain of lysine in model peptides in the gas phase. The substitution of nitrogen for oxygen greatly increases the proton affinity of A18C6 relative to 18C6 and inhibits the formation of noncovalent adducts with small lysine containing peptides. The proton affinity of A18C6 is determined by the kinetic method to be 250 +/- 1 kcal/mol. This value is much higher than that for diethanolamine (228 kcal/mol) or for 18C6 (231 kcal/mol). This unusually high basicity is rationalized by semi-empirical calculations that suggest a highly symmetrical structure for protonated A18C6 in which the three most distant oxygens are able to fold back and hydrogen bond with the protonated nitrogen. In the case of L1, the lariat side chain is attached by an amide bond, lowering the proton affinity of LI relative to that of A18C6. This allows L1 to form noncovalent adducts with lysine despite the fact that steric repulsion within the cavity of the crown is increased to some extent. The relative ammonium ion affinities of these various crown ethers are shown to serve as qualitative predictors for the molecular recognition of lysine. The order of the relative ammonium ion affinities is 18C6>L1>A18C6 as determined by the kinetic method. These results suggest that the substitution of nitrogen for oxygen in the crown ether is not beneficial for the molecular recognition of lysine.     

AFM observation of cation complexation of dibenzocrown ethers adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite

The cation complexation behavior of dibenzocrown ethers adsorbed on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite substrates was investigated by means of atomic force microscopy using probe tips modified chemically with ammonium ion by silane coupling. The specific adhesion force based on the intermolecular force between dibenzocrown ether and ammonium ion was observed via force curve measurements in ethanol at the interface between the substrate and tip. The observed specific force decreased in the presence of the alkali metal ion in solution, indicating that the cation in solution interferes with the complexation of the crown ethers adsorbed on the substrate with the ammonium ion immobilized on the tip. The blocking effect of metal ions in solution on the observed force depended on the sizes of both the blocking cation and crown ether ring, suggesting that the surface-adsorbed dibenzocrown ethers possess a selective cation-complexing ability similar to that in their bulk state and that the adhesion force measurements using cation-modified tips allow evaluation of the cation-complexing ability of crown ethers under cation-competitive conditions.     

Luminescent crown ether amino acids: selective binding to N-terminal lysine in peptides

Crown ether amino acids (CEAAs) with a luminescent phthalic ester or phthalimide moiety have been prepared. Simple peptide chemistry covalently tethers the macrocycles to give ditopic ammonium-ion binders. The binding events of both crown ether groups are monitored independently by changes of their specific emission properties. The affinity of the bis-CEAA to bis-ammonium ions is distance dependent, which allows distinguishing between isomeric small peptides containing a lysine residue in different positions.     

Toward engineering intra-receptor interactions into bis(crown ethers)

A synthetic receptor was designed in which cooperative binding of two crown ether moieties to an alkali metal ion simultaneously causes two hydrophobic substituents not involved in direct host-guest interactions to converge. Hydrophobic interactions between these substituents can be expected to contribute to the overall complex stability. Independent binding studies involving two diastereoisomers of this bis(crown ether), one in which intra-receptor interactions between the substituents are potentially possible and one in which they are not, using isothermal titration calorimetry showed that both isomers bind potassium ions in different solvent mixtures with the same overall affinity. Profound differences were observed for each isomer, however, in the enthalpies and entropies of binding, which are consistent with intra-receptor interactions in one compound. These interactions are counteracted by enthalpy-entropy compensation so that no overall improvement in cation affinity could be observed.     

Ion-pair extraction of uranyl ion from aqueous medium using crown ethers

Ion-pair extraction behaviour of uranyl ion from aqueous solutions was studied at pH 3.0 employing crown ethers viz. benzo 15 crown 5 (B15C5), 18 crown 6 (18C6), dibenzo 18 crown 6 (DB18C6), and dibenzo 24 crown 8 (DB24C8) in chloroform as the organic phase and picric acid as the organophilic counter anion. The stoichiometry of the extracted species corresponded to [UO₂(crown ether)_n]²⁺·[pic⁻]₂ where n=1.5 for benzo 15 crown 5 and 1 for 18 crown 6 as well as dibenzo 18 crown 6. Adducts of DB24C8 could not be observed as practically no extraction was possible using this reagent. The separation behaviour of fission products from an irradiated uranium target was also studied. An interesting observation on the separation of trivalent lanthanides from uranyl ion is reported.     

The determination of traces of ammonium-nitrogen in aqueous solution by optical emission spectrometry with a high-frequency inductively coupled argon plasma source

A method for the determination of low levels of ammonium ion in solution by optical emission spectrometry with an inductively coupled argon plasma source operated at 27 MHz is presented. The ammonium ion is oxidized with sodium hypobromite in alkaline medium, the evolved nitrogen is passed into the argon plasma, and the NH emission intensity produced in the plasma at 336.0 nm is monitored. A practical detection limit of 0.1 μg N ml^-1 for 5-ml aqueous sample solutions has been obtained. The method has been applied to the determination of the exchangeable ammonium content of soil samples.     

Utilizing reversible copper(II) peptide coordination in a sequence-selective luminescent receptor

Although vast information about the coordination ability of amino acids and peptides to metal ions is available, little use of this has been made in the rational design of selective peptide receptors. We have combined a copper(II) nitrilotriacetato (NTA) complex with an ammonium-ion-sensitive and luminescent benzocrown ether. This compound revealed micromolar affinities and selectivities for glycine- and histidine-containing sequences, which closely resembles those of copper(II) ion peptide binding: the two free coordination sites of the copper(II) NTA complex bind to imidazole and amido nitrogen atoms, replicating the initial coordination steps of non-complexed copper(II) ions. The benzocrown ether recognizes the N-terminal amino moiety intramolecularly, and the significantly increased emission intensity signals the binding event, because only if prior coordination of the peptide has taken place is the intramolecular ammonium ion-benzocrown ether interaction of sufficient strength in water to trigger an emission signal. Intermolecular ammonium ion-benzocrown ether binding is not observed. Isothermal titration calorimetry confirmed the binding constants derived from emission titrations. Thus, as deduced from peptide coordination studies, the combination of a truncated copper(II) coordination sphere and a luminescent benzocrown ether allows for the more rational design of sequence-selective peptide receptors.     

Cyclitol-based metal-complexing agents. Effect of the relative orientation of oxygen atoms in the ionophoric ring on the cation-binding ability of myo-inositol-based crown ethers

myo-Inositol-derived crown ethers having varying relative orientations (1,3-diaxial, 1,2-diequatorial, and 1,2-axial-equatorial) of the oxygen atoms in the ionophoric ring were synthesized and the extent of their binding with picrates of alkali metals, ammonia, and silver were estimated. These crown ethers bind very well with potassium and silver picrates and show good to moderate binding toward lithium, sodium, cesium, and ammonium picrates. These myo-inositol-derived crown ethers exhibit very strong binding for silver, even though they do not have sulfur or nitrogen coordinating sites in them, which are known to have high affinity for silver. The ratio of binding constants for silver to other ions tested varies from 10(2) to 10(5). The ion selectivity and the strength of binding are dependent on the relative orientation of the oxygen atoms in the ionophoric ring as well as on the size of the macrocyclic ring.     

The luminescent properties of divalent europium complexes of crown ethers and cryptands

The luminescent properties of divalent europium complexes with crown ether, azacrown ether, N-pivot-azacrown ether, and cryptand in methanol or water have been systematically investigated under UV irradiation. These divalent europium complexes show greatly enhanced emission from 417 nm to 488 nm in the visible blue region in comparison with that of the methanol solution of EuCl₂. The aqueous solution of EuCl₂ is non-luminescent. This obvious distinction in luminescent properties between the macrocyclic ligand-coordinated divalent europium and uncoordinated divalent europium is attributed to the “insulation effect” of Eu²⁺ ion from the solvent molecules of CH₃OH and H₂O by the macrocyclic crown ether or cryptand encapsulation to divalent europium. Moreover, these macrocyclic ligands provide an additional restriction to the electronic charge expansion of the excited Eu²⁺. This also contributes to the enhancement of the Eu²⁺ luminescence. Among all the investigated macrocyclic ligands, 15-crown-5 (15C5) affords the largest enhancement to the Eu²⁺ emission. The intensity of the Eu²⁺–15C5 complex is 690 times that of the EuCl₂ methanol solution with the same Eu²⁺ concentration. This special emission enhancement effect is related to the particular complex composition of 1:3 (Eu²⁺:15C5) and corresponding configuration of Eu²⁺–15C5 complex in methanol. Concerning the mechanism, the luminescence enhancement of divalent europium by complexation with these macrocyclic crown ether or cryptand ligands is found to be initiated from the decrease in non-radiative rate constant rather than from the increase in radiative one.

The divalent europium complexes of methacrylate polymeric polyether derivatives such as 15C5-, 18-crown-6- (18C6), and cryptand [2.2.1]- or [2.2.2]-containing polymer and copolymer have also been prepared. Their luminescent properties in solid state have been studied to aim for practical application. As a similar situation to the simple polyether complexes, the divalent europium complex with 15C5-containing polymer or copolymer shows the largest luminescent enhancement effect. Its emission intensity reaches about 20% that of the commercial inorganic luminescence product CaWO₄:Pb (NBS 1026). In addition, the doping effect of several divalent ions, namely Mg, Sr, Ba and Zn in polymeric complexes, has also been investigated according to the luminescence concentration quenching mechanism in solid state luminescence materials. The emission intensity of 15C5-containing polymer europium(II) complex is raised to twice stronger by doping of Zn²⁺ ion.     

Mono-, bis-, and tris(crown ether)s assembled around 1,3,5-triaroylbenzene scaffolds

A concise and experimentally straightforward method for assembling multiple benzo(crown ether) units around 1,3,5-triaroylbenzene scaffolds has been developed. Symmetrical tris(crown ether)s possessing three benzo(15-crown-5) or three benzo(18-crown-6) peripheral substituents have been prepared in good yield via cyclotrimerization of monomeric enaminones. Efficient cross-cyclotrimerizations have also been demonstrated through construction of unsymmetrical triaroylbenzenes functionalized with only one or two benzo(15-crown-5) moieties. The alkali cation-binding abilities of these mono- and polytopic crown ethers have been probed through picrate extraction experiments and isothermal titration calorimetry. Thermodynamic binding parameters uncovered using the latter technique reveal increasing K+/Na+ selectivity in the benzo(15-crown-5) series of compounds as a function of increasing numbers of benzo(crown) units. The data also indicate that the triaroylbenzene-derived bis- and tris-crown ethers do not engage in intramolecular chelation of cations too large to be accommodated by individual crown macrorings. Instead, cation/triaroylbenzene stoichiometries and binding profiles indicate formation of alkali metal-bridged dimers.