Cationic tetrakis(nucleobase)complexes of PtII as metalloligands and potential building blocks for molecular architectures

Three cationic tetrakis(nucleobase) complexes of Pt(II) have been synthesized: [Pt(Hmhyp-N7)4](NO3)2.H2O 1, [Pt(Hegua-N7)4](NO3)2.2KNO(3).5H2O and trans-[Pt(Hmcyt-N3)2(Hegua-N7)2](NO3)2 3 (Hmhyp = 9-methylhypoxanthine, Hegua = 9-ethylguanine, Hmcyt = 1-methylcytosine). The X-ray crystal structure of has been determined. All three cationic compounds rapidly react with Hg(II), but gel formation prevented an adequate characterization of the products formed. However, a Cu(II) adduct of was isolated in crystalline form and characterized crystallographically. [{(H2O)Cu(Hmhyp)4Pt}2Cu(ClO4)4)](ClO4)2(NO3)4.6H2O crystallizes in a centrosymmetric Cu-Pt-Cu-Pt-Cu chain structure with Cu-Pt separations of 2.791(1)A(outside) and 3.8980(9)A(inside). Two of the three Cu(II) ions are bound via exocyclic O(6) sites of the Hmhyp nucleobases. At neutral and moderate alkaline pH both and form virtually insoluble precipitates, which redissolve at strongly alkaline pH to give eventually anionic [Pt(L)4]2- species (L = mhyp, egua). Finally, interacts with complementary Hmcyt to give Watson-Crick associates, as demonstrated by 1H NMR spectroscopy in DMSO-d(6).     

Resorcin[6]arene as a building block for tubular crystalline state architectures

A resorcin[6]arene with an r-trans-cis-trans-cis-trans configuration of the pendant ethyl groups forms tubular crystal structures.     

Nanoscale molecular rods with a new building block for solubility enhancement

A new building block bearing a [1,3]dioxolo[4,5- f][1,3]benzodioxole core was developed to enhance the solubility of molecular rods by lateral alkyl chains. On incorporation in molecular rods with oligospiroketal structure, the straight geometry is retained, which was concluded from the X-ray crystal structure analysis of one of the rods. The determination of the solubility of a collection of rods bearing this building block revealed that already a butyl group efficiently hinders the aggregation of the rods and consequently causes a considerable enhancement of the solubility. Piperidine rings are located at the ends of the rods, which offer the opportunity for versatile functionalization. Thus, an N, N'-bis(azidoacetyl)-functionalized rod was prepared, which could serve as rigid linkage, initiated by a "Click" reaction.     

Nitrogen heterocycles as building blocks for new metallosupramolecular architectures

The syntheses of representative examples of five classes of new heterocyclic ligands are described. These include N,N'-chelating bis-heterocycles, binucleating ligands, cyclometallated compounds, chiral ligands and a family of polyheteroaryl-linked arenes.     

Phenanthroline unit as a building block for carbohydrate receptors

An acyclic receptor 1, containing phenanthroline- and aminopyridine-based recognition sites, has been established as a powerful carbohydrate receptor. Compared to the previously described acyclic receptors, compound 1 shows significantly higher binding affinities as well as selectivities, which are quite different from those of the earlier systems. The phenanthroline unit has been established as a valuable building block for the construction of effective and selective carbohydrate receptors.     

New pyridylphenylene cyclopentadienon as a building block for dendrimer synthesis

Russian Chemical Bulletin - The synthesis of new tetrasubstituted pyridyl-containing cyclopentadienone, namely, 3,4-bis(4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl)-2,5-di(pyridin-2-yl)cyclopenta-2,4-dien-1-one is...     

9,10-Dichlorooctafluoroanthracene as a building block for n-type organic semiconductors

9,10-Dichlorooctafluoroanthracene (1) was synthesized from commercially available tetrafluorophthalic acid by an optimized solution-phase route. To establish 1 as a synthon for n-type organic semiconductors, the compound was reacted with phenylboronic acid under modified Suzuki-Miyaura coupling conditions to generate octafluoro-9,10-diphenylanthracene (7) in high yield. Cyclic voltammetry and X-ray crystallography indicate that 7 has a stabilized LUMO energy level and exhibits extended pi stacking, which should lead to efficient electron transport in solid-state devices. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-Octafluoroanthracene (2) was also synthesized as a potential n-type building block, but suitable C-C coupling conditions for this compound were not found, and 2 could not be converted into 9,10-dibromooctafluoroanthracene or octafluoro-9,10-diiodoanthracene.     

Cyanoacetaldehyde as a building block for prebiotic formation of pyrimidines

The present study uses density functional theory to investigate the possible free radical pathways for cytosine and uracil formation from cyanoacetaldehyde in the presence of urea and ammonia. Our proposed mechanisms are characterized by a smaller number of precursors and relatively lower barriers compared to previously reported reactions with other prebiotic precursors. Thus, the proposed mechanisms are more plausible in environments like prebiotic earth and present-day Titan. Overall, this study suggests a kinetically accessible route to pyrimidine formation and will hopefully contribute toward understanding the relevance of these precursors in prebiotic reactions.     

Site- and orientation-selective anchoring of a prototypical molecular building block

The controlled anchoring of molecular building blocks on appropriate templates is a major prerequisite for the rational design and fabrication of supramolecular architectures on surfaces. We report on a particularly selective adsorption process of hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene on Au(111), which leads to well-controlled adsorption position and orientation of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals selective adsorption on monatomic steps in the fcc stacking regions with a specific orientation of 18 degrees between the molecular axis and the step normal. Ab initio calculations for various adsorption sites reveal the lowest total energy for adsorption on a kink site. Energy considerations and the excellent agreement between experimental and simulated images show that adsorption on kink sites is responsible for the specific adsorption angle.     

Crystal engineering of a versatile building block toward the design of novel inorganic-organic coordination architectures

Six novel inorganic-organic coordination supramolecular networks based on a versatile linking unit 4-pyridylthioacetate (pyta) and inorganic Co(II), Cu(II), Ag(I), Zn(II), Mn(II) and Pb(II) salts have been prepared in water medium and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Reaction of CoCl(2).6H(2)O with Hpyta afforded a neutral mononuclear complex [Co(pyta)(2)(H(2)O)(4)](1), which exhibits a two-dimensional (2-D) layered architecture through intermolecular O-HO interactions. Reaction of CuCl(2.2H(2)O with Hpyta yielded a neutral one-dimensional (1-D) coordination polymer [[Cu(pyta)(2)(H(2)O].0.5H(2)O](n)(2) consisting of rectangle molecular square units, which show a three-dimensional (3-D) supramolecular network through S...S and O-H...O weak interactions. However, when AgNO(3), Zn(OAc)(2).2H(2)O or MnCl(2).4H(2)O salts were used in the above self-assembled processes, the neutral 2-D coordination polymers [Ag(pyta)](n)(3), [[Zn(pyta)(2)].4H(2)O](n)(4) or [[Mn(pyta)(2)(H(2)O)]](n)(5) with different topologies were obtained, respectively. While substituting the transition metal ions used in 1-5 with Pb(OAc)(2).3H(2)O, a one-dimensional coordination polymer [Pb(pyta)(2)](n)(6), which shows a novel 2-fold interpenetrating 2-D supramolecular architecture through weak SS interactions, was isolated. It is interesting to note that the building block pyta anion exhibits different configurations and coordination modes in the solid structures of complexes 1-6. These results indicate that the versatile nature of this flexible ligand, together with the coordination preferences of the metal centers, play a critical role in construction of these novel coordination polymers or supramolecules. The spectral and thermal properties of these new materials have also been investigated.     

Perylene bisimide dyes as versatile building blocks for functional supramolecular architectures

Perylene bisimide dyes and their organization into supramolecular architectures through hydrogen-bonding, metal ion coordination and pi-pi-stacking is discussed; further self-assembly leading to nano- and meso-scopic structures and liquid-crystalline compounds is also addressed.     

The azulene moiety as a chromogenic building block for anion receptors

The azulene moiety has been investigated as a new building block for optical sensors for anions. In the course of these studies, amide and thioamide derivatives of azulene-5,7-dicarboxylic acid were synthesized. Their affinity towards anions and structural preferences are described. The X-ray analysis of the thioamide revealed the formation of a supramolecular helix.     

Tricyanometalate molecular chemistry: A type of versatile building blocks for the construction of cyano-bridged molecular architectures

Cyano-bridged molecule-based magnetic materials with reduced dimensionality, such as single-molecule magnets (SMMs) and single-chain magnets (SCMs), have attracted great research interest during the last decade. Among the cyano-based molecular precursors with ample coordinating capability, we note the ability of the tricyanometalate to link various metal ions lead to a wide diversity of structural architectures ranging from discrete polynuclear complexes to various one-dimensional (1D) assemblies. Some of them are promising cyano-bridged SMMs and SCMs. The use of capping tridentate organic ligands results in a number of clusters containing di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, hexa-, octa-, fourteen-nuclear and various 1D metal-cyanide molecular architectures. Here we review the structural topologies of these complexes and their related magnetic properties, highlight typical examples, and point out the main possible directions that remain to be developed in this field. From the crystal engineering point of view, the compounds reviewed here should provide useful information for further design and investigation on this elusive class of cyano-bridged SMMs and SCMs.     

Synthesis of a core trisaccharide as a versatile building block for N-glycans and glycoconjugates

N-linked oligosaccharides from glycoproteins (N-glycans) can be conveniently assembled with a building block approach. A protected form of the core trisaccharide (beta-mannosyl chitobiose) was identified as a key building block. The chitobiose part of the core trisaccharide was built from a glycosyl fluoride, which served as a precursor for the reducing GlcNAc azide and the inner GlcNAc moiety. Beta-mannosylation was accomplished at the trisaccharide stage by intramolecular inversion of a beta-glucosyl chitobiose. The benzylidene protection of the beta-mannoside and the azido group at the reducing end of the core trisaccharide allow modular synthesis of N-glycans and their glycoconjugates.     

Playing with organic radicals as building blocks for functional molecular materials

The literature has shown numerous contributions on the synthesis and physicochemical properties of persistent organic radicals but there are a lesser number of reports about their use as building blocks for obtaining molecular magnetic materials exhibiting an additional and useful physical property or function. These materials show promise for applications in spintronics as well as bistable memory devices and sensing materials. This critical review provides an up-to-date survey to this new generation of multifunctional magnetic materials. For this, a detailed revision of the most common families of persistent organic radicals-nitroxide, triphenylmethyl, verdazyl, phenalenyl, and dithiadiazolyl-so far reported will be presented, classified into three different sections: materials with magnetic, conducting and optical properties. An additional section reporting switchable materials based on these radicals is presented (257 references).     

New monomer based on thienopyrazine with fluorocarbazole substituents as a promising building block for organic electronics

A new monomer, 2,3-bis[6-fluoro-9-(2-octyldodecyl)-9H-carbazol-3-yl]-3,3'-[5,7-di(5-bromothienyl-2)thieno[3,4-b]pyrazine, M1, based on thienopyrazine containing fluorocarbazole substituents in the pyrazine ring has been synthesized. The structure of the compound has been proved by ¹H and ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. The HOMO and LUMO energies for monomer M1 and its precursor 3 determined by the electrochemical method are–5.03 and–3.31 eV, as well as–5.28 and–3.36 eV, respectively. Band gap widths E _g ^ec are 1.72 and 1.92 eV for compounds M1 and 3, respectively. The new structural fragment has rather deep energy levels of frontier molecular orbitals and a small band gap width; therefore, it is a promising building block for the synthesis of polymers for organic electronics.