Bright Fluorescence and Host–Guest Sensing with a Nanoscale M4L6 Tetrahedron Accessed by Self‐Assembly of Zinc–Imine Chelate Vertices and Perylene Bisimide Edges

A highly luminescent Zn₄L₆ tetrahedron is reported with 3.8 nm perylene bisimide edges and hexadentate Zn^II–imine chelate vertices. Replacing Fe^II and monoamines commonly utilized in subcomponent self‐assembly with Zn^II and tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine provides access to a metallosupramolecular host with the rare combination of structural integrity at concentrations <10^?7 mol L^?1 and an exceptionally high fluorescence quantum yield of Φ_em=0.67. Encapsulation of multiple perylene or coronene guest molecules is accompanied by strong luminescence quenching. We anticipate this self‐assembly strategy may be generalized to improve access to brightly fluorescent coordination cages tailored for host–guest light‐harvesting, photocatalysis, and sensing.     

Self‐Sorting of Four Organic Molecules into a Heterowheel Polypseudorotaxane

The social self‐sorting supramolecular assembly is described by non‐covalent interactions among four organic components. Toward this goal, a series of self‐sorting systems have been investigated by mixing two or three different compounds; naphthyl‐bridged bis(α‐cyclodextrin), N,N′‐dioctyl‐4,4′‐bipyridinium, 2,6‐dihydroxynaphthalene, and cucurbit[8]uril. The influence of alkyl chains of viologen derivatives and the binding abilities of these systems have also been studied. Their integrative self‐sorting led to the exclusive formation of the purple supramolecular heterowheel polypseudorotaxane. The heterowheel polypseudorotaxane is a thermodynamically stable self‐sorted product, and consists of two different macrocycles with three sorts of different non‐covalent interactions. Its structure was established by NMR spectroscopy and UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light‐scattering (DLS), diffusion‐ordered spectroscopy (DOSY), and viscosity measurements.     

Subcomponent Self‐Assembly of a 4 nm M4L6 Tetrahedron with ZnII Vertices and Perylene Bisimide Dye Edges

Formation of a tetrahedron with >4 nm perylene bisimide (PBI) dye edges and Zn^II vertices in a one‐pot 22 component self‐assembly reaction is reported. The luminescent polyhedron equilibrates to a Zn₂L₃ helicate and disassembles upon dilution. Insights into the subcomponent self‐assembly of extended PBI ligands help to refine design rules for constructing large photofunctional metallosupramolecular hosts.     

Dual Stimuli‐Responsive Self‐Assembled Supramolecular Nanoparticles

Supramolecular nanoparticles (SNPs) encompass multiple copies of different building blocks brought together by specific noncovalent interactions. The inherently multivalent nature of these systems allows control of their size as well as their assembly and disassembly, thus promising potential as biomedical delivery vehicles. Here, dual responsive SNPs have been based on the ternary host–guest complexation between cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]), a methyl viologen (MV) polymer, and mono‐ and multivalent azobenzene (Azo) functionalized molecules. UV switching of the Azo groups led to fast disruption of the ternary complexes, but to a relatively slow disintegration of the SNPs. Alternating UV and Vis photoisomerization of the Azo groups led to fully reversible SNP disassembly and reassembly. SNPs were only formed with the Azo moieties in the trans and the MV units in the oxidized states, respectively, thus constituting a supramolecular AND logic gate.     

Alkaline‐Earth Metal Cations as Structure Building Blocks for Molecular Cages with Entrapment and Controlled Release of Quintuple Ionic Aggregates

Currently, main‐group metal cations are totally neglected as the structure‐building blocks for the self‐assembly of supramolecular coordination metallocages due to the lack of directional bonding. However, here we show that a common Arrhenius acid–base neutralization allows the alkaline‐earth metal cations to act as charged binders, easily connecting two or more highly directional anionic transition‐metal‐based metalloligands to coordination polymers. With a metal salt such as K⁺PF₆^? added during the neutralization, the main‐group metal‐connected skeleton can be templated by the largest yet reported ionic‐aggregate anion, K₂(PF₆)₃^?, formed from KPF₆ in solution, into molecular metallocages, encapsulating the ion. Crystal‐structure details, DFT‐calculation results, and controlled‐release behavior support the presence of K₂(PF₆)₃^? as a guest in the cage. Upon removal of PF₆^? ions, the cage stays intact. Other ions like BF₄^? can be put back in.     

Nanoparticle Vesicles Through Self Assembly of Cyclodextrin‐ and Adamantyl‐Modified Silica

Stable nanoparticle vesicles were for the first time prepared from adamantyl‐ and cyclodextrin (CD)‐modified silica nanoparticles forming host–guest interactions in aqueous solution. Adamantyl‐functionalized nanoparticles were obtained from thiol‐isocyanate reaction of thiol‐modified nanoparticles with 1‐adamantyl isocyanate. The CD modified silica particles were isolated from a reaction of mono‐6‐para‐toluenesulfonyl‐β‐cyclodextrin with the thiol functionalized silica under microwave conditions in basic media. The obtained particles were characterized in respect of agglomeration and self‐assembly behavior in aqueous solution by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The found vesicle structures are exceptionally stable even after evaporation of water. Such inorganic hollow spheres formed through self‐assembly processes may be important for chemical storage and transport. The technique of chemically‐driven assembly is an attractive option to form useful complex structures by tunable agglomeration.

     

Construction of Chemical‐Responsive Supramolecular Hydrogels from Guest‐Modified Cyclodextrins

A methodology for preparing supramolecular hydrogels from guest‐modified cyclodextrins (CDs) based on the host–guest and hydrogen‐bonding interactions of CDs is presented. Four types of modified CDs were synthesized to understand better the gelation mechanism. The 2D ROESY NMR spectrum of β‐CD‐AmTNB (Am=amino, TNB=trinitrobenzene) reveals that the TNB group was included in the β‐CD cavity. Pulsed field gradient NMR (PFG NMR) spectroscopy and AFM show that β‐CD‐AmTNB formed a supramolecular polymer in aqueous solution through head‐to‐tail stacking. Although β‐CD‐AmTNB did not produce a hydrogel due to insufficient growth of supramolecular polymers, β‐CD‐CiAmTNB (Ci=cinnamoyl) formed supramolecular fibrils through host–guest interactions. Hydrogen bonds between the cross‐linked fibrils resulted in the hydrogel, which displayed excellent chemical‐responsive properties. Gel‐to‐sol transitions occurred by adding 1‐adamantane carboxylic acid (AdCA) or urea. ¹H NMR and induced circular dichroism (ICD) spectra reveal that AdCA released the guest parts from the CD cavity and that urea acts as a denaturing agent to break the hydrogen bonds between CDs. The hydrogel was also destroyed by adding β‐CD, which acts as the competitive host to reduce the fibrils. Furthermore, the gel changed to a sol by adding methyl orange (MO) as a guest compound, but the gel reappeared upon addition of α‐CD, which is a stronger host for MO.     

Allyl‐Functionalized Dioxynaphthalene[38]Crown‐10 Macrocycles: Synthesis,Self‐Assembly,and Thiol‐ene Functionalization

Five dioxynaphthalene[38]‐crown‐10 ( DNP38C10 ) macrocycles bearing one, two, three, or four allyl moieties have been synthesized and their ability to spontaneously self‐assemble with methyl viologen to form [2]pseudorotaxanes has been evaluated. Association constants between methyl viologen and several of the allyl‐functionalized DNP38C10 macrocycles are found to be comparable to that of methyl viologen and unfunctionalized DNP38C10 , however, the enthalpic and entropic factors that underlie overall binding free energy vary systematically with increasing allyl substitution. These variations are explained through a combination of solution phase and solid‐state analysis of the macrocycles and their complexes. The utility of endowing DNP38C10 macrocycles with allyl moieties is further demonstrated by the ease with which they can be functionalized through thiol‐ene click chemistry.     

Photoresponsive Hybrid Raspberry‐Like Colloids Based on Cucurbit[8]uril Host–Guest Interactions

Hybrid raspberry‐like colloids (HRCs) were prepared by employing cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) as a supramolecular linker to assemble functional polymeric nanoparticles onto a silica core. The formed HRCs are photoresponsive and can be reversibly disassembled upon light irradiation. This facile supramolecular approach provides a platform for the synthesis of colloids with sophisticated structures and properties.     

Guest‐Induced Transformation of a Porphyrin‐Edged FeII4L6 Capsule into a CuIFeII2L4 Fullerene Receptor

The combination of a bent diamino(nickel(II) porphyrin) with 2‐formylpyridine and Fe^II yielded an Fe^II₄L₆ cage. Upon treatment with the fullerenes C₆₀ or C₇₀, this cage was found to transform into a new host–guest complex incorporating three Fe^II centers and four porphyrin ligands, in an arrangement that is hypothesized to maximize π interactions between the porphyrin units of the host and the fullerene guest bound within its central cavity. The new complex shows coordinative unsaturation at one of the Fe^II centers as the result of the incommensurate metal‐to‐ligand ratio, which enabled the preparation of a heterometallic cone‐shaped Cu^IFe^II₂L₄ adduct of C₆₀ or C₇₀.