Supramolecular chirogenesis in zinc porphyrins: interaction with bidentate ligands,formation of tweezer structures,and the origin of enhanced optical activity

The complexation behavior, binding properties, and spectral parameters of supramolecular chirality induction in the achiral host molecule, syn (face-to-face conformation) ethane-bridged bis(zinc porphyrin), upon interaction with chiral bidentate guests (diamines and amino alcohols) have been studied by means of UV-vis, CD, fluorescence, (1)H NMR, and ESI MS techniques. It was found that the guest structure plays a decisive role in the chirogenesis pathway. The majority of bidentate ligands (except those geometrically unsuitable) exhibit two major equilibria steps: the first guest ligation leading to formation of the 1:1 host-guest tweezer structure (K(1)) and the second guest molecule ligation (K(2)) forming the anti bis-ligated species (1:2). The second ligation is much weaker (K(1) > K(2)) due to the optimal geometry and stability of the 1:1 tweezer complex. The enhanced conformational stability of the tweezer complex ensures an efficient chirality transfer from the chiral guest to the achiral host, consequently inducing a remarkably high optical activity in the bis-porphyrin.     

Supramolecular chirogenesis in zinc porphyrins: mechanism, role of guest structure, and application for the absolute configuration determination.

The achiral syn folded (face-to-face conformation) host molecule of the ethane-bridged bis(zinc porphyrin) transforms into the corresponding chiral extended anti bis-ligated species in the presence of enantiopure amine guests. The mechanism of the supramolecular chirogenesis is based upon the screw formation in bis(zinc porphyrin), arising from steric interactions between the largest substituent at the ligand's asymmetric carbon and peripheral alkyl groups of the neighboring porphyrin ring pointing toward the covalent bridge. The screw direction is determined by the guest's (amines) absolute configuration resulting in a positive chirality induced by (S)-enantiomers due to formation of the right-handed screw, and a negative chirality produced by the left-handed screw of (R)-enantiomers. The screw magnitude is strongly dependent upon the structure of the chiral guests. The amines with bulkier substituents result in stronger CD signals and larger (1)H NMR resonance splittings of enantiotopic protons. This system possesses a high degree of chiroptical activity, which allows the differentiation of one of the smallest homologous elements of organic chemistry, that is, the methyl and ethyl groups attached to the asymmetric carbon, and additionally, which senses a remote chiral center at a position beta to the amine binding group.     

Supramolecular chirogenesis with bis-chlorin versus bis-porphyrin hosts: peculiarities of chirality induction and modulation of optical activity

[structure: see text] The complexation behavior, chirality induction and inversion in the achiral host, a racemic mixture of ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylchlorin) (1), and optical activity modulation in the chiral hosts, enantiopure 1(R) and 1(S), upon interaction with chiral and achiral amine guests have been investigated by means of the UV-vis, CD, and (1)H NMR techniques and compared with the corresponding spectral data of the bis-porphyrin analogue. It was found that the chirogenesis pathway is strongly dependent upon the structures of both major components (hosts and guests) of these supramolecular systems. Particularly, the distinct orientation of electronic transitions in the chlorin chromophores arisen from the reduced pyrrole ring, which makes it radically different from that of the porphyrin chromophores, and the size of the guest's substituents lead to the remarkable phenomenon of chirality induction-inversion in racemic 1 originating from the process of asymmetry transfer from enantiopure guests of the same homologous type and absolute configuration. This surprising chirogenic behavior is found to be in a sharp contrast to that observed in the analogous porphyrin-based systems. Furthermore, these structural and electronic phenomena also account for the effective optical activity quenching of enantiopure 1(R) and 1(S) upon interaction with chiral and with achiral amines, which results in formation of supramolecular complexes of opposite chirality.     

Recognition of mandelate stereoisomers by chiral porphyrin hosts: prediction of stereopreference in guest binding a priori using a simple binding model?

Rigid porphyrin hosts that mimic the spatial arrangement of mandelate recognition motifs lead to stereoselective receptors and illustrate how subtle structural differences in host design have significant impact on guest recognition. The porphyrin hosts are obtained with minimal synthetic effort from readily available chiral amine precursors and are modular in design. The chiral recognition properties of the porphyrin-based hosts with chiral carboxylate-containing guests and chiral amines are described. UV/vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopic results indicate some of these porphyrin hosts undergo an induced fit conformational change upon guest binding.     

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.     

Bio-inspired Calix[6]Arene–Zinc Funnel Complexes

A bio-inspired supramolecular system is presented. A calix[6]arene possessing three imidazolyl arms on alternate phenolic positions binds a zinc ion. The resulting complex contains a hydrophobic pocket, which has a flattened conic shape. The system behaves as a selective molecular funnel for neutral guests that bind the metal centre. The exceptional stability of these tetrahedral dicationic complexes is exemplified by the acetaldehyde ternary adduct that was analysed by X-ray crystallography. The ligand is deeply buried in the heart of the calixarene cavity, pointing its methyl group selectively towards the centre of one of the aromatic walls, thereby establishing a stabilizing CH/π interaction. Protic guests undergo hydrogen bonding with the phenolic oxygens of the calixarene structure. The selectivity of the binding in the cavity is based on both the affinity of the donor atom of the guest ligand for the zinc ion and the relative host–guest geometries. The helical shape of the tris-imidazolyl groups binding the metal centre is the base of the chirality of the system. The twisted calix[6]arene structure of the zinc funnel complexes is shown to provide a new example of a cavity suitable for host–guest chiral induction.     

Pillararene Host–Guest Complexation Induced Chirality Amplification: A New Way to Detect Cryptochiral Compounds

The contradiction between the rising demands of optical chirality sensing and the failure in chiral detection of cryptochiral compounds encourages researchers to find new methods for chirality amplification. Inspired by planar chirality and the host–guest recognition of pillararenes, we establish a new concept for amplifying CD signals of cryptochiral molecules by pillararene host–guest complexation induced chirality amplification. The planar chirality of pillararenes is induced and stabilized in the presence of the chiral guest, which makes the cryptochiral molecule detectable by CD spectroscopy. Several chiral guests are selected in these experiments and the mechanism of chiral amplification is studied with a non-rotatable pillararene derivative and density functional theory calculations. We believe this work affords deeper understanding of chirality and provides a new perspective for chiral sensing.     

Pillararene Host–Guest Complexation Induced Chirality Amplification: A New Way to Detect Cryptochiral Compounds

The contradiction between the rising demands of optical chirality sensing and the failure in chiral detection of cryptochiral compounds encourages researchers to find new methods for chirality amplification. Inspired by planar chirality and the host–guest recognition of pillararenes, we establish a new concept for amplifying CD signals of cryptochiral molecules by pillararene host–guest complexation induced chirality amplification. The planar chirality of pillararenes is induced and stabilized in the presence of the chiral guest, which makes the cryptochiral molecule detectable by CD spectroscopy. Several chiral guests are selected in these experiments and the mechanism of chiral amplification is studied with a non‐rotatable pillararene derivative and density functional theory calculations. We believe this work affords deeper understanding of chirality and provides a new perspective for chiral sensing.     

Gd(III)[15-metallacrown-5] recognition of chiral α-amino acid analogues

Chiral Ln(III)[15-metallacrown-5] complexes with phenyl side chains have been shown to encapsulate aromatic carboxylates reversibly in their hydrophobic cavities. Given the importance of selective guest binding for applications of supramolecular containers in synthesis, separations, and materials design, the affinity of Gd(III)[15-metallacrown(Cu(II), L-pheHA)-5] hosts for a series of chiral carboxylate guests with varying substitutions on the α-carbon (phenylalanine, N-acetyl-phenylalanine, phenyllactate, mandelate, methoxyphenylacetate) has been investigated. Differential binding of S- and R-phenylalanine was revealed by X-ray crystallography, as the S-enantiomer exclusively forms associative hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms in the metallacrown ring. Selective guest binding in solution was assessed with isothermal titration calorimetry, which measures the sequential guest binding in the hydrophobic cavity first and the hydrophilic face of the host, and a cyclic voltammetry assay, which quantifies guest binding strength in the hydrophobic cavity of the host exclusively. In solution, the Gd(III)[15-metallacrown(Cu(II), L-pheHA)-5] hydrophobic cavity exhibits modest chiral selectivity for enantiomers of phenylalanine (K(S)/K(R) = 2.4) and mandelate (K(S)/K(R) = 1.22). Weak binding constants of ～100 M(-1) were measured for neutral and -1 charged carboxylates with hydrophilic functional groups (ammonium, N-acetyl, methyl ether). Weaker binding relative to the unsubstituted guests is attributed to unfavorable interactions between the hydrophilic functionalities of the guest and the hydrophobic cavity of the host. In contrast, binding constants greater than 2000 M(-1) were measured for α-hydroxy analogues phenyllactate and mandelate. The significantly increased affinity likely arises from the guests being bound as a -2 anion upon metal-assisted deprotonation in the Gd(III)[15-metallacrown(Cu(II), l-pheHA)-5] cavity. It is established that guest binding affinity in the hydrophobic cavity of the host follows the general trend of neutral zwitterion < monoanion < dianion, with hydrophilic functional groups decreasing the binding affinity. These results have broad implications for the development of metallacrowns as supramolecular catalysts or in chiral separations.     

Absolute configurational assignments of secondary amines by CD-sensitive dimeric zinc porphyrin host

A general chiroptical protocol for determination of absolute configuration of secondary amines including acyclic and cyclic aliphatic amines, aromatic amines, amino acids, and amino alcohols is described. The chiral substrate is linked to the achiral carrier moiety (3-N-Boc-amino-propyl-N-Boc-amino)acetic acid 1 (BocHNCH(2)CH(2)CH(2)BocNCH(2)COOH), which after deprotection, yields a bidentate conjugate, capable of forming a 1:1 host/guest complex with dimeric zinc porphyrin host 2. As in the cases of primary amines and secondary alcohols reported earlier, the complexation of secondary amine conjugates to porphyrin tweezer host 2 represents a stereodifferentiating process, where the large (L) group at the stereogenic center (assigned on the basis of conformational energies A value) protrudes from the porphyrin binding pocket. This leads to formation of host/guest complexes with a preferred porphyrin helicity that exhibit intense exciton split CD spectra. It was found that the chiral sense of porphyrin twist is clearly controlled by the stereogenic center despite the Z/E conformational complexity around the tertiary amide bond of secondary amine conjugates that has greatly hampered previous configurational assignments. Thus, in cases where there is no ambiguity regarding the relative steric size of substituents, the observed CD couplet can be applied for straightforward assignment of absolute configurations. In addition, to extend the application to more difficult cases a molecular mechanics calculation approach using the Merck Molecular Force Field (MMFFs) was developed; this provides conformational information of host/guest complexes and leads to prediction of preferred porphyrin helicity independent of conformational A values. This chiroptical protocol in combination with molecular modeling represents a general method for configurational assignments of secondary amines.     

Simultaneous enhancement of phosphorescence and chirality by host–guest recognition of molecular tweezers

A novel type of host–guest recognition systems have been developed on the basis of a Au(III) molecular tweezer receptor and chiral Pt(II) guests. The complementary host–guest motifs display high non-covalent binding affinity (K_a: ～10⁴ L/mol) due to the participation of two-fold intermolecular π–π stacking interactions. Both phosphorescence and chirality signals of the Pt(II) guests strengthen in the resulting host–guest complexes, because of the cooperative rigidifying and shielding effects rendered by the tweezer receptor. Their intensities can be reversibly switched toward pH changes, by taking advantage of the electronic repulsion effect between the protonated form of tweezer receptor and the positive-charged guests in acidic environments. Overall, the current study demonstrates the feasibility to enhance and modulate phosphorescence and chirality signals simultaneously via molecular tweezer-based host–guest recognition.     

Enantioselective Light Harvesting with Perylenediimide Guests on Self‐Assembled Chiral Naphthalenediimide Nanofibers

Self‐assembling molecular systems often display amplified chirality compared to the monomeric state, which makes the molecular recognition more sensitive to chiral analytes. Herein, we report the almost absolute enantioselective recognition of a chiral perylenediimide (PDI) molecule by chiral supramolecular nanofibers of a bichromophoric naphthalenediimide (NDI) derivative. The chiral recognition was evaluated through the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the NDI‐based host nanofibers to the guest PDI molecules. The excitation energy was successfully transferred to the guest molecule through efficient energy migration along the host nanofiber, thus demonstrating the light‐harvesting capability of these hybrid systems. Furthermore, circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) was enantioselectively sensitized by the guest molecule as the wavelength band and sign of the CPL signal were switched in response to the chiral guest molecule.     

Recognition through self-assembly. A quadruply-hydrogen-bonded, strapped porphyrin cleft that binds dipyridyl molecules and a [2]rotaxane

Quadruply-hydrogen-bonded porphyrin homodimer Zn1.Zn1 has been designed, assembled, and evaluated as a supramolecular cleft-featured receptor for its ability to bind dipyridyl guests in chloroform-d. Monomer Zn1 consists of a 2-ureidopyrimidin-4(1H)-one unit, which was initially reported by Meijer et al., and a zinc porphyrin unit. The zinc porphyrin is strapped with an additional aliphatic chain for controlling the atropisomerization of porphyrin. The 2-ureidopyrimidin-4(1H)-one unit dimerizes exclusively in chloroform even at the dilute concentration of 10(-)(4) M, while the two "strapped" zinc porphyrin units of the homodimer provide additional binding sites for selective guest recognition. (1)H NMR studies indicate that the new homodimer Zn1.Zn1 adopts an S-type conformation due to strong donor-acceptor interaction between the electron-rich porphyrin units and the electron-deficient 2-ureidopyrimidin-4(1H)-one unit. (1)H NMR, UV-vis, and vapor pressure osmometry investigations reveal that Zn1.Zn1 could function as a new generation of assembled supramolecular cleft, to be able to not only efficiently bind linear dipyridyl molecules 14-17, resulting in the formation of stable termolecular complexes, with K(aasoc) values ranging from 3.8 x 10(6) to 8.9 x 10(7) M(-)(1), but also strongly complex a hydrogen-bond-assembled [2]rotaxane, 18, which consists of a rigid fumaramide thread and a pyridine-incorporated tetraamide cyclophane, with K(aasoc) = 1.2 x 10(4) M(-)(1). (1)H NMR competition experiments reveal that complexation to the dipyriyl guests also promotes the stability of the quadruply-hydrogen-bonded dimeric receptor.     

Alignment and Dynamic Inversion of Planar Chirality in Pillar[n]arenes

Pillar[n]arenes are symmetrical macrocyclic compounds composed of benzene panels with para-methylene linkages. Each panel usually exhibits planar chirality and prefers chirality-aligned states. Because of this feature, pillar[n]arenes are attractive scaffolds for chiroptical materials that are easy to prepare and optically resolve and show intense circular dichroism (CD) signals. In addition, rotation of the panels endows the chirality of pillar[n]arenes with a dynamic nature. The chirality in tubular oligomers and supramolecular assemblies sometimes show time- and procedure-dependent alignment phenomena. Furthermore, the CD signals of some pillar[n]arenes respond to the addition of chiral guests when their dynamic chirality is coupled with host–guest properties. By using diastereomeric pillar[n]arenes with additional chiral structures, the response can also be caused by achiral guests and changes of the environment, providing molecular sensors.     

Synthesis and Binding Properties of a Tren-Capped Hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene

The straightforward synthesis of a new hexahomotrioxacalix[3]arene-based ligand capped by a tren subunit was developed and the binding properties of the corresponding zinc complex were explored by NMR spectroscopy. Similarly to the closely related calix[6]tren-based systems, the homooxacalixarene core ensures the mononuclearity of the zinc complex and the metal center displays a labile coordination site for exogenous guests. However, very different host–guest properties were observed: i) in CDCl₃, the zinc complex strongly binds a water molecule and is reluctant to recognize other neutral guests, ii) in CD₃CN, the exo-coordination of anions prevails. Thus, in strong contrast to the calix[6]tren-based systems, the coordination of neutral guests that thread through the small rim and fill the polyaromatic cavity was not observed. This unique behaviour is likely due to the fact that the 18-membered ethereal macrocycle is too small to let a molecule threading through it. This work illustrates the key role played by the second coordination sphere in the binding properties of metal complexes.     

Manipulating the twist sense of helical nanofilaments of bent-core liquid crystals using rod-shaped,chiral mesogenic dopants

In some liquid crystal (LC) mixtures of bent-core host molecules that form helical nanofilaments (HNFs) and chiral, rod-shaped molecular guests, the spontaneous chirality of the HNFs is not influenced by the guest handedness. In other mixtures, the filaments become homochiral, responding to the handedness of the guest. We show that the important distinction between these two behaviours is the solubility of the guest material in the HNF phase. In our experiments, chiral LC mesogens doped into the HNF phase result in an enantiomeric imbalance and sometimes change the phase sequence on cooling from the isotropic melt.     

Control of molecular structures and photophysical properties of zinc(II) porphyrin dendrimers using bidentate guests: utilization of flexible dendrimer structures as a controllable mold

We have prepared supramolecular assemblies of hexaaryl-anchored polyester zinc(II) porphyrin dendrimers (6P(Zn)W, 12P(Zn)W, and 24P(Zn)W) with various bipyridyl guests (C(n)Py2; n = 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8) through self-assembled coordination to control the structures and photophysical properties. We comparatively investigated the photophysical properties of porphyrin dendrimers with and without guest binding by using ensemble and single-molecule spectroscopy. The spectrophotometric titration data of dendrimers with guest molecules provide a strong indication of the selective intercalation of bipyridyl guests into porphyrin dendrimers. The representative dendrimer assembly 12P(Zn)W [symbol: see text] C6Py2 exhibits increased fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime in ensemble measurements, as well as higher initial photon count rates with stepwise photobleaching behavior in the single-molecule fluorescence intensity trajectories (FITs) compared to 12P(Zn)W. At the single-molecule level, the higher photostability of 12P(Zn)W [symbol: see text] C6Py2 can be deduced from the long durations of the first emissive levels in the FITs. We attribute the change in photophysical properties of the dendrimer assemblies to their structural changes upon intercalation of guest molecules between porphyrin units. These results provide new insight into the control of porphyrin dendritic structures using appropriate bidentate guests in poor environmental conditions.     

Fluorescent Cross‐Linked Supramolecular Polymer Constructed by Orthogonal Self‐Assembly of Metal–Ligand Coordination and Host–Guest Interaction

A new host molecule consists of four terpyridine groups as the binding sites with zinc(II) ion and a copillar[5]arene incorporated in the center as a spacer to interact with guest molecule was designed and synthesized. Due to the 120 ° angle of the rigid aromatic segment, a cross‐linked dimeric hexagonal supramolecular polymer was therefore generated as the result of the orthogonal self‐assembly of metal–ligand coordination and host–guest interaction. UV/Vis spectroscopy, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, viscosity and dynamic light‐scattering techniques were employed to characterize and understand the cross‐linking process with the introduction of zinc(II) ion and guest molecule. More importantly, well‐defined morphology of the self‐assembled supramolecular structure can be tuned by altering the adding sequence of the two components, that is, the zinc(II) ion and the guest molecule. In addition, introduction of a competitive ligand suggested the dynamic nature of the supramolecular structure.     

Supramolecular chirogenesis in bis(zinc porphyrin): An absolute configuration probe highly sensitive to guest structure

The role of the ligand's structure and absolute configuration in the supramolecular chirality induction in achiral bis(zinc porphyrin) has been studied. The amines with bulkier substituents resulted in stronger CD signals due to increased helical displacement in the anti conformer. All the amines with an R absolute configuration gave a negative first Cotton effect and positive second Cotton effect, while the ligands with an S absolute configuration produced CD signals with opposite signs due to formation of the left- and right-handed screw diastereomers, respectively.     

Equilibrium isotope effects on noncovalent interactions in a supramolecular host-guest system

The self-assembled supramolecular complex [Ga(4)L(6)](12-) (1; L = 1,5-bis[2,3-dihydroxybenzamido]naphthalene) can act as a molecular host in aqueous solution and bind cationic guest molecules to its highly charged exterior surface or within its hydrophobic interior cavity. The distinct internal cavity of host 1 modifies the physical properties and reactivity of bound guest molecules and can be used to catalyze a variety of chemical transformations. Noncovalent host-guest interactions in large part control guest binding, molecular recognition and the chemical reactivity of bound guests. Herein we examine equilibrium isotope effects (EIEs) on both exterior and interior guest binding to host 1 and use these effects to probe the details of noncovalent host-guest interactions. For both interior and exterior binding of a benzylphosphonium guest in aqueous solution, protiated guests are found to bind more strongly to host 1 (K(H)/K(D) > 1) and the preferred association of protiated guests is driven by enthalpy and opposed by entropy. Deuteration of guest methyl and benzyl C-H bonds results in a larger EIE than deuteration of guest aromatic C-H bonds. The observed EIEs can be well explained by considering changes in guest vibrational force constants and zero-point energies. DFT calculations further confirm the origins of these EIEs and suggest that changes in low-frequency guest C-H/D vibrational motions (bends, wags, etc.) are primarily responsible for the observed EIEs.