Piling Up Pillar[5]arenes To Self‐Assemble Nanotubes

New liquid‐crystalline pillar[5]arene derivatives have been prepared by grafting first‐generation Percec‐type poly(benzylether) dendrons onto the macrocyclic scaffold. The molecules adopt a disc‐shaped structure perfectly suited for self‐organization into a columnar liquid‐crystalline phase. In this way, the pillar[5]arene cores are piled up, thus forming a nanotubular wire encased within a shell of peripheral dendrons. The capability of pillar[5]arenes to form inclusion complexes has been also exploited. Specifically, detailed binding studies have been carried out in solution with 1,6‐dicyanohexane as the guest. Inclusion complexes have also been prepared in the solid state. Supramolecular organization into the Col_h mesophase has been deduced from X‐ray diffraction data and found to be similar to that observed within the crystal lattice of a model inclusion complex prepared from 1,4‐dimethoxypillar[5]arene and 1,6‐dicyanohexane.     

Grafting Dendrons onto Pillar[5]Arene Scaffolds

With their ten peripheral substituents, pillar[5]arenes are attractive compact scaffolds for the construction of nanomaterials with a controlled number of functional groups distributed around the macrocyclic core. This review paper is focused on the functionalization of pillar[5]arene derivatives with small dendrons to generate dendrimer-like nanomaterials and bioactive compounds. Examples include non-viral gene vectors, bioactive glycoclusters, and liquid-crystalline materials.     

Langmuir and Langmuir–Blodgett Films from Amphiphilic Pillar[5]arene‐Containing [2]Rotaxanes

Amphiphilic pillar[5]arene‐containing [2]rotaxanes have been prepared and fully characterized. In the particular case of the [2]rotaxane incorporating a 1,4‐diethoxypillar[5]arene subunit, the structure of the compound was confirmed by X‐ray crystal structure analysis. Owing to a good hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, stable Langmuir films have been obtained for these rotaxanes and the size of the peripheral alkyl chains on the pillar[5]arene subunit has a dramatic influence on the reversibility during compression–decompression cycles. Indeed, when these are small enough, molecular reorganization of the rotaxane by gliding motions are capable of preventing strong π–π interactions between neighboring macrocycles in the thin film.     

Open‐tubular capillary electrochromatography using carboxylatopillar[5]arene as stationary phase

Pillar[n]arenes have achieved much interest in material chemistry and supramolecular chemistry due to unusual pillar shape structure and high selectivity toward guest. However, pillar[n]arenes have not yet been applied in capillary electrochromatography. This work at first time reports that carboxylatopillar[5]arene is used as a stationary phase in open‐tubular capillary electrochromatography. Carboxylatopillar[5]arene not only possess the advantages of pillar[n]arenes but also provide free carboxy groups for immobilizing on the inner wall of capillary column via covalent bonding. The characterization of SEM and FT‐IR indicated that carboxylatopillar[5]arene was successfully grafted on the inner wall of capillary. The baseline separation of model analytes including neutral, basic, and acidic compounds, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and dansyl‐amino acids have been achieved thanks to the electron‐rich cavity of carboxylatopillar[5]arene and hydrophobic interactions between the analytes and stationary phase. The intraday, interday, and column‐to‐column precisions (RSDs) of retention time and peak area for the neutral analytes were all less than 3.34 and 9.65%, respectively. This work indicates that pillar[n]arenes have great potential in capillary electrochromatography as novel stationary phase.     

Photocycloisomerization of Boc‐Protected 5‐Alkenyl‐2,5‐dihydro‐1H‐ pyrrol‐2‐ones

On irradiation (254 nm), the newly synthesized Boc‐protected 5‐alkenyl‐2,5‐dihydro‐1H‐pyrrol‐2‐ones 13 undergo regioselective intramolecular [2+2] photocycloadditions. While the allyl derivatives 13a – 13c afford mainly azatricyclo[3.3.0.0^2,7]octanones, i.e., crossed cycloadducts, the butenyl‐ and pentenyl‐substituted compounds 13d and 13e isomerize preferentially to straight cycloadducts.     

para-Bridged symmetrical pillar[5]arenes: their Lewis acid catalyzed synthesis and host-guest property

Condensation of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene (DMB) with paraformaldehyde in the presence of BF3.O(C2H5)2 gave novel para-bridged pentacyclic pillar DMB (DMpillar[5]arene). Moreover, para-bridged pentacyclic hydroquinone (pillar[5]arene) was prepared. Pillar[5]arene formed 1:1 host-guest complexes with dialkyl viologen and alkyl pyridinium derivatives. However, pillar[5]arene did not form complexes with the diadamantyl viologen derivative since a bulky adamantyl group was unable to thread the cavity of pillar[5]arene.     

Selective artificial transmembrane channels for protons by formation of water wires

Lined up water molecules: Artificial transmembrane channels from pillar[5]arene monomeric and dimeric derivatives have been prepared. Single-channel conductance measurements and isotope effect experiments under acidic conditions showed selective proton transport through the channels, which were mediated by water wires formed in the pillar[5]arene backbones (see picture).     

含噻二唑官能基的对叔丁基硫桥杯[4]芳烃衍生物的合成及结构

以对叔丁基硫桥杯[4]芳烃(1)为原料, 在碳酸钾存在下与碘甲烷反应, 生成1,3-二取代桥杯[4]芳烃(2), 其分别与1,2-二溴乙烷, 1,3-二溴丙烷在碳酸钾的存在下进行烷基化反应, 生成硫桥杯[4]芳烃衍生物3和4. 在氢氧化钠存在下,其与过量的含不同官能团的2-巯基-1,3,4-噻二唑反应, 生成下缘含1,3,4-噻二唑基的硫桥杯[4]芳烃衍生物5a, 5b, 6a和6b, 并通过了¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, MS和元素分析的确证. 同时, X射线分析确定了硫桥杯[4]芳烃3和5a的晶体结构.     

Construction of [1]rotaxanes with pillar[5]arene as the wheel and terpyridine as the stopper

The condensation reaction ofω-aminoalkyleneamide-functionalized pillar[5]arenes with 2-(4-([2,2’:6’,2〃-terpyridin]-4’-yl)phenoxy)acetic acid or 4-(4-([2,2’:6’,2"-terpyridin]-4’-yl)phenoxy)butanoic acid in dry chloroform at room temperature under the catalysis of HOBT/EDCl resulted in novel pillar[5]arene diamido-bridged terpyridine derivatives.~1 H NMR and 2 D NOESY spectra clearly indicated that the interesting[1]rotaxanes were formed by longer alkylene such as propylene,butylene and hexylenediamido chains threading into the cavity of the pillar[5]arene and with larger terpyridine acting as the stopper.However,the shorter ethylenediamido chain only exists outer of cavity of pillar[5]arene and the molecule exist on free form.     

含噻二唑基的对叔丁基杯[4]芳烃衍生物的合成及表征

以对叔丁基杯[4]芳烃(1)为原料, 分别与1,2-二溴乙烷、1,3-二溴丙烷在碳酸钾的存在下进行选择性烷基化反应, 生成杯[4]芳烃衍生物2和3. 在氢氧化钠存在下, 化合物2和3与过量的含不同官能团的2-巯基噻二唑反应, 生成下缘含噻二唑基的杯芳烃衍生物4a～4c, 5a～5c, 其结构经¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, IR, MS和元素分析确证.     

Synthesis,crystal structures and complexing ability of difunctionalized copillar[5]arene Schiff bases

An efficient method for the synthesis of some difunctionalized copillar[5]arene Schiff bases from condensation of salicylaldehyde and its 5-chloro, 5-bromo, 3,5-di(t-butyl) substituted derivatives with corresponding diamino-functionalized copillar[5]arene, which were prepared by Gabriel reaction according to the reported method. Single-crystals of six copillar[5]arenes were determined by X-ray diffraction. An ORTEP of compounds showed that the two chains units of Schiff base exist in the outside of the cavity of pillar[5]arene. Furthermore, the complexing ability of these Schiff bases to transition metal ions were investigated by UV and fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Dendritic-Like Molecules Built on a Pillar[5]arene Core as Hole Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells

Multi-branched molecules have recently demonstrated interesting behaviour as charge-transporting materials within the fields of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). For this reason, extended triarylamine dendrons have been grafted onto a pillar[5]arene core to generate dendrimer-like compounds, which have been used as hole-transporting materials (HTMs) for PSCs. The performances of the solar cells containing these novel compounds have been extensively investigated. Interestingly, a positive dendritic effect has been evidenced as the hole transporting properties are improved when going from the first to the second-generation compound. The stability of the devices based on the best performing pillar[5]arene material has been also evaluated in a high-throughput ageing setup for 500 h at high temperature. When compared to reference devices prepared from spiro-OMeTAD, the behaviour is similar. An analysis of the economic advantages arising from the use of the pillar[5]arene-based material revealed however that our pillar[5]arene-based material is cheaper than the reference.     

Host–Guest Complexation Using Pillar[5]arene Crystals: Crystal-Structure Dependent Uptake,Release, and Molecular Dynamics of an Alkane Guest

Host–guest complexation has been mainly investigated in solution, and it is unclear how guest molecules access the assembled structures of host and dynamics of guest molecules in the crystal state. In this study, we studied the uptake, release, and molecular dynamics of n-hexane vapor in the crystal state of pillar[5]arenes bearing different substituents. Pillar[5]arene bearing 10 ethyl groups yielded a crystal structure of herringbone-type 1:1 complexes with n-hexane, whereas pillar[5]arene with 10 allyl groups formed 1:1 complexes featuring a one-dimensional (1D) channel structure. For pillar[5]arene bearing 10 benzyl groups, one molecule of n-hexane was located in the cavity of pillar[5]arene, and another n-hexane molecule was located outside of the cavity between two pillar[5]arenes. The substituent-dependent differences in molecular arrangement influenced the uptake, release, and molecular dynamics of the n-hexane guest. The substituent effects were not observed in host–guest chemistry in solution, and these features are unique for the crystal state host–guest chemistry of pillar[5]arenes.     

Pillar[5]arene‐Mediated Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles: Size Control and Sensing Capabilities

We present a simple procedure for the synthesis of quasi‐spherical Au nanoparticles in a wide size range mediated by macrocyclic host molecules, ammonium pillar[5]arene (AP[5]A). The strategy is based on a seeded growth process in which the water‐soluble pillar[5]arene undergoes complexation of the Au salt through the ammonium groups, thereby avoiding Au nucleation, while acting as a stabilizer. The presence of the pillar[5]arene onto the Au nanoparticle particle surface is demonstrated by surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectroscopy, and the most probable conformation of the molecule when adsorbed on the Au nanoparticles surface is suggested on the basis of theoretical calculations. In addition, we analyze the host–guest interactions of the AP[5]A with 2‐naphthoic acid (2NA) by using ¹H NMR spectroscopy and the results are compared with theoretical calculations. Finally, the promising synergetic effects of combining supramolecular chemistry and metal nanoparticles are demonstrated through SERS detection in water of 2NA and a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, pyrene (PYR).     

Monofunctionalized pillar[5]arenes: synthesis and supramolecular structure

The first synthesis of a monohydroxy pillar[5]arene has been carried out, by controlling the de-O-methylation of per-methylated pillar[5]arene. Using monohydroxy pillar[5]arene as an intermediate, mono-guest-functionalized pillar[5]arene was prepared. It formed a self-inclusion complex in CDCl(3) whereas in acetone-d(6) dethreading of the guest moiety took place.     

Water-soluble pillar[4]arene[1]quinone: Synthesis,host-guest property and application in the fluorescence turn-on sensing of ethylenediamine in aqueous solution,organic solvent and air

Water-soluble pillar[5]arenes are a class of typical macrocycles and have aroused tremendous attention for its easy to modify, abundant host-guest properties and extensive applications. However, up to now, all the reported water-soluble pillar[5]arenes acted as the host molecules, whereas they failed to be postsynthetically modified, which seriously impeded the development of the pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular chemistry. In this work, a new water-soluble pillar[5]arene, pillar[4]arene[1]quinone, was designed and synthsized with eight quaternary ammonium groups as well as a quinone units. Such a new water-soluble pillar[4]arene[1]quinone was capable of forming 1:1 stable complex with sodium 1-octanesulfonate in aqueous solution. Since the 1,4-quinone unit of WP[4]Q[1] could react with ethylenediamine (EDA) to form a conjugated quinoxaline structure, so pillar[4]arene[1]quinone could apply to the facile fluorescence turn-on sensing of EDA in aqueous solution, organic solvent and air.     

Comparison of pillar[5]arene and calix[4]arene anion receptor ability in aqueous media

Abstract

Recognition ability of both cationic pillar[5]arene and calix[4]arene has been studied in aqueous media. Anion complexation can be evaluated from their ability to complex their counterions as well as an added external organic anion. DOSY NMR experiments and fluorescence quenching show that pillararenes have a larger ability for including their own counterions than calixarenes irrespective of the anion (tetrafluoroborate or chloride or bromide) and the structure of the cationic moiety (trimethylammonium or methylimidazolium). Counterion complexation shows a picture where four to five positive charges of the pillar[5]arene are neutralised, meanwhile only one positive charge of the calixarene is neutralised for a 1 mM solution of the macrocycle. Irrespective of the smaller net positive charge in the pillar[5]arene, its binding ability for organic anions (toluenesulfonate or hydroxybenzoate) is larger than for calix[4]arene allowing a better accommodation of the guest in its cavity. The larger separation between the cationic groups of the receptor and its electron-rich aromatic region improves the anion recognition ability for pillar[5]arene.     

Construction of π‐Surface‐Metalated Pillar[5]arenes which Bind Anions via Anion–π Interactions

By simple ligand exchange of the cationic transition‐metal complexes [(Cp*)M(acetone)₃](OTf)₂ (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl and M=Ir or Rh) with pillar[5]arene, mono‐ and polynuclear pillar[5]arenes, a new class of metalated host molecules, is prepared. Single‐crystal X‐ray analysis shows that the charged transition‐metal cations are directly bound to the outer π‐surface of aromatic rings of pillar[5]arene. One of the triflate anions is deeply embedded within the cavity of the trinuclear pillar[5]arenes, which is different to the host–guest behavior of most pillar[5]arenes. DFT calculation of the electrostatic potential revealed that the metalated pillar[5]arenes featured an electron‐deficient cavity due to the presence of the electron‐withdrawing transition metals, thus allowing encapsulation of electron‐rich guests mainly driven by anion–π interactions.     

Selective complexation of n-alkanes with pillar[5]arene dimers in organic media

A pillar[5]arene dimer was synthesized by linking a mono-hydroxylated pillar[5]arene with 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)benzene. The pillar[5]arene dimer formed stronger complexes with n-alkanes than did a monomeric pillar[5]arene.     

Pillar[5]arenes: fascinating cyclophanes with a bright future

Pillar[5]arenes are [1(5)]paracyclophane derivatives consisting of 1,4-disubstituted hydroquinones linked by methylene bridges in the 2,5-positions. The first report of these novel macrocycles was in 2008, when 1,4-dimethoxypillar[5]arene was prepared in 22% yield, and subsequent improvements in synthetic methods have allowed the number of derivatives to expand significantly. In addition to D(5) symmetric pillar[5]arenes, asymmetric pillar[5]arenes with two different substituents in the 1- and 4-positions and copillar[5]arenes consisting of two different repeat units in a 4 : 1 ratio have been synthesised. Crystallographic, computational and spectroscopic studies are starting to shed light on the compounds' unusual inclusion phenomena, from gelation and transportation of water through nanotubes to the formation of chromogenic rotaxanes. Applications as molecular sensors are starting to appear with a focus on guest detection by fluorescence quenching. This tutorial review will provide a summary of research into the pillar[5]arenes since their recent discovery.