Structures and ligand exchange of N-confused porphyrin dimer complexes with group 12 metals

N-confused 5,20-diphenylporphyrin (NCDPP, 1) formed 2:2 dimer complexes with group 12 metals both in the solid state and in solution. X-ray single-crystal analyses of the Zn(II) and Cd(II) complexes (7, 8) revealed that each metal ion is coordinated with three inner core nitrogens and a peripheral nitrogen of the other NCDPP in the pair. In the (1)H NMR spectra of 7, 8, and the Hg(II) complex (9), the outer alpha-H signals of the confused pyrrole ring appeared in the upfield region at 2.57, 3.44, and 3.60 ppm, respectively, due to the ring current effect by the coordinated porphyrins. In the case of the Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes (8, 9), additional magnetic couplings with the metal nuclei of the partner rings were observed. The equilibrium constants (K) of the monomer exchange reaction at 25 degrees C were determined to be 2.5, 1.3, and 0.6 for the (Zn-Cd), (Cd-Hg), and (Zn-Hg) heterodimer complexes, respectively, from the (1)H NMR spectra of a solution containing two different dimers. Furthermore, a metal-transfer reaction from a Zn(II) NCP dimer complex to the free base porphyrin was demonstrated.     

Confusion,inversion, and creation--a new spring from porphyrin chemistry

This article mainly deals with the recent serendipity of novel porphyrin analogs such as N-confused porphyrin. The unique property of this ligand allows the formation of a variety of metal complexes. The important aspect of dynamic flipping (inversion), induced either by confusion or expansion of the macrocyclic core, that leads to the generation of new porphyrinoids, is emphasized. This review concludes with the recent progress on expanded porphyrins bearing confused, inverted, and fused pyrrole rings.     

Anion-anion assembly: a new class of anionic supramolecular polymer containing 3,4-dichloro-2,5-diamido-substituted pyrrole anion dimers

Two molecules containing two 2,5-diamido,3,4-dichloropyrrole units linked via 1,3- or 1,4-substituted benzene rings have been synthesized. The pyrrole groups in these compounds deprotonate in the presence of tetrabutylammonium fluoride and form pyrrole anion dimers via NH...N- hydrogen bonds. This dimerization process results in the formation of polyanionic chains linked via an unusual "orthogonal" hydrogen-bonding array.     

Acid-base and spectroelectrochemical properties of doubly N-confused porphyrins

The cis-doubly N-confused porphyrin, H2N2CP, containing two adjacent confused pyrrole rings has been investigated from the point of view of its acid-base and electrochemical behavior in dichloromethane. This novel porphyrin isomer can form two metal-carbon bonds in the central core, stabilizing metal ions in unusually high oxidation states. Furthermore, the two outside N-pyrrole atoms remain available for acid-base and specific solvent interactions. Protonation of the pyrrole N atoms proceeds according to two successive steps, while only a single deprotonation step has been observed in the presence of bases. Similarly, in the case of the silver and copper complexes the protonation and deprotonation of the outer pyrrole rings have been detected, confirming the structure of the metalated species as M(III)-HN2CP. The electrochemical reduction of the metal ions (III/II redox process) and oxidation of the macrocycle ring have been detected respectively at -0.9 and 1.4 V based on spectroelectrochemical measurements in conjunction with the acid/base equilibrium studies. Additional waves observed around -0.5 and 1.3 V have been assigned to redox processes involving water molecules associated with the doubly N-confused porphyrins.     

Azomethine imines of pyrazolidone series and their bis-chelate Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II) complexes. Quantum chemical simulation

Prototropic processes in the molecules of azomethine imines with 2-pyrrolylmethylidene fragment were studied by the density functional theory (DFT) method and the most stable by energy isomers with the intramolecular hydrogen bond between the nitrogen atoms of the pyrrole and the pyrazole rings were found. The energy barriers of the reactions of intramolecular proton transfer were estimated. Based on quantum chemical calculations of the molecular structure of azomethine imine bis-chelates ML₂ [M = Ni(II), Zn(II), Cd(II)] with the coordination unit MN₂N₂ the most stable configurations of the complexes were determined.     

Unusual Stabilization of Dication Diradical Intermediate of Dizinc(II) Porphyrin Dimer

We have demonstrated here how the nature of a metal ion controls the reactivity of a metalloporphyrin π‐cation radical. One‐electron oxidations of diethylpyrrole‐bridged dicopper(II) and dipalladium(II) porphyrin dimers using iodine as an oxidant result in the formation of strongly interacting cofacial mixed‐valent π‐cation radical dimers. The mixed‐valent cation radical so generated being highly reactive drives a spontaneous and rapid transformation to form an indolizinium‐fused chlorin‐porphyrin heterodimer. In sharp contrast to this, similar addition of iodine leads to 1e‐oxidation of dizinc(II) porphyrin dimer, which is followed by a second oxidation to produce a dication diradical complex. The axial coordination of iodine upon 1e‐oxidation of dizinc(II) porphyrin dimer lowers the overall oxidation potential of the system, and thereby, making the second oxidation easily accessible. This has resulted in the stabilization of a dication diradical complex, in which two porphyrin π‐cation radicals undergo electronic communication through the bridging pyrrole group. Interestingly, despite being well‐separated from each other, the two radical spins undergo strong antiferromagnetic coupling to form a diamagnetic compound. The conjugation also leads to a change in identity of the bridge, which further highlights the critical role played by the bridge in the electronic communication between the two rings. DFT calculations clearly support the experimental observations.     

Synthesis and Reactivity of 5,10,15‐Triaryl Doubly N‐Confused Bilanes

A series of 5,10,15‐tris(pentafluorophenyl) doubly N‐confused bilanes were synthesized in a stepwise manner with the aid of sterically demanding N‐protecting groups, in which the difference in reactivity between regular pyrrole and N‐confused pyrrole plays a crucial role in the synthetic strategy. Some doubly N‐confused bilanes were converted into porphyrinoids or a unique 2:2 copper(II) complex with a helical structure. In addition, the conformations and electronic states of the doubly N‐confused bilanes were investigated theoretically, giving fruitful information about the effect of confusion on the bilane skeleton.     

Isomeric 3‐ and 4‐chloro‐N‐[1‐(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)ethylidene]aniline

The title isomers, namely 3‐chloro‐N‐[1‐(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)ethylidene]aniline, (I), and 4‐chloro‐N‐[1‐(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)ethylidene]aniline, (II), both C₁₂H₁₁ClN₂, differ in the position of the chlorine substitution. Both compounds have the basic iminopyrrole structure, which shows a planar backbone with similar features. The dihedral angle formed by the planes of the pyrrole and benzene rings is 75.65 (7)° for (I) and 86.56 (8)° for (II). The H atom bound to the pyrrole N atom is positionally disordered and partial protonation occurs at the imino N atom in (I), while this phenomenon is absent from the structure of (II). Packing interactions for both compounds include intermolecular N—H...N hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions, forming centrosymmetric dimers for both (I) and (II).     

Ring Polymers of Tubulin Induced by Binding of Natural Antimitotic Peptides

A number of natural products with potent antimitotic activity are peptides and depsipeptides that bind to tubulin, provoke depolymerization of microtubules, and induce formation of single layer rings of tubulin dimers. These peptides are all hydrophobic and small relative to tubulin (3-5 amino acid residues), yet induce rings polymers with properties that can differ significantly in size and self-association. In addition, these compounds exhibit potent cytotoxicity that varies by several hundred fold from one compound to another. Cryptophycin induces unusually homogeneous rings, composed of eight tubulin dimers, that are stable to dilution at least to nanomolar tubulin concentrations.     

Programmable oligomers for minor groove DNA recognition

The four Watson-Crick base pairs of DNA can be distinguished in the minor groove by pairing side-by-side three five-membered aromatic carboxamides, imidazole (Im), pyrrole (Py), and hydroxypyrrole (Hp), four different ways. On the basis of the paradigm of unsymmetrical paired edges of aromatic rings for minor groove recognition, a second generation set of heterocycle pairs, imidazopyridine/pyrrole (Ip/Py) and hydroxybenzimidazole/pyrrole (Hz/Py), revealed that recognition elements not based on analogues of distamycin could be realized. A new set of end-cap heterocycle dimers, oxazole-hydroxybenzimidazole (No-Hz) and chlorothiophene-hydroxybenzimidazole (Ct-Hz), paired with Py-Py are shown to bind contiguous base pairs of DNA in the minor groove, specifically 5'-GT-3' and 5'-TT-3', with high affinity and selectivity. Utilizing this technology, we have developed a new class of oligomers for sequence-specific DNA minor groove recognition no longer based on the N-methyl pyrrole carboxamides of distamycin.     

2‐[2‐(Pyrrolidin‐2‐yl)propan‐2‐yl]‐1H‐pyrrole and its amide derivative 1‐{2‐[2‐(1H‐pyrrol‐2‐yl)propan‐2‐yl]pyrrolidin‐1‐yl}ethanone

In the title compounds, C₁₁H₁₈N₂, (II), and C₁₃H₂₀N₂O, (III), the pyrrolidine rings have twist conformations. Compound (II) crystallizes with two independent molecules (A and B) in the asymmetric unit. The mean planes of the pyrrole and pyrrolidine rings are inclined to one another by 89.99 (11) and 89.35 (10)° in molecules A and B, respectively. In (III), the amide derivative of (II), the same dihedral angle is much smaller, at only 13.42 (10)°. In the crystal structure of (II), the individual molecules are linked via N—H...N hydrogen bonds to form inversion dimers, each with an R²₂(12) graph‐set motif. In the crystal structure of (III), the molecules are linked via N—H...O hydrogen bonds to form inversion dimers with an R²₂(16) graph‐set motif.     

The structure of dimers and the nature of azulene chromaticity

The structure of supramolecular azulene dimers responsible for the blue coloration of its crystals and solutions has been discussed on the basis of result of optical spectroscopy and literature data. It is established that two types of these dimers (I and II) absorb the light in the red region of the visible (VIS) spectrum and differ by the mutual orientation of the molecules. Dimers I have a VIS band with a vibronic structure; the azulene molecules in dimers I match their own seven-membered rings in type (stacking structure), and five-membered rings of the molecules are separated so that the molecular C _2v axes form an obtuse angle. The spectra of dimers II do not have a vibronic structure in the VIS band. The dipole moments of the molecules in these dimers are oriented antiparallel (five-membered rings are located over (or under) seven-membered rings, forming a structure with a center of inversion). It is concluded that due to their structure, dimers I should have a certain dipole moment, while dimers II have no dipole moment.     

Chiral Interlocked Corrole Dimers Directly Linked at Inner Carbon Atoms of Confused Pyrrole Rings

A facile synthetic strategy towards conformationally stable chiral chromophores based on dimeric porphyrinoids has been established. A peculiar class of face-to-face intramolecularly interlocked corrole dimers were formed by the oxidative C−C coupling linked at the inner carbon sites upon simple treatment of copper(II) ions. Their intrinsic electronic structures were modulated by the peripheral corrole ring annulations, which lead to distinct optical properties and redox profiles. The stereogenic carbon centers implemented in the confused corrole skeleton provided a rationale for designing novel chiral materials.     

Syntheses of Amino Group‐Substituted N‐Confused Porphyrins

Tetraphenyl N‐confused porphyrins (NCTPP) bearing amino substituents were synthesized for the purpose of functionalization toward water‐soluble and biocompatible molecules. The Pd‐catalyzed coupling reaction of 4‐ethynylaniline with the 2‐bromo NCTPP Ag(III) complex yields Pd(II) and Ag(III) coupling products ( 4a and 4b ), at 39% and 55%, respectively. The identities of these products were confirmed by the differences in the isotope patterns of their molecular ion peaks as well as other spectroscopic data. The Ag(III) coupling product, 4b , was demetallated to form the final product, 5 , with a yield of 85%. The meso‐tetrakis(4‐nitrophenyl) N‐confused porphyrin, 6 , was synthesized through a methanesulfonic acid catalyzed condensation of pyrrole with the 4‐nitrobenzaldehyde with a yield of 6.8%. Reduction of the compound to meso tetrakis(4‐aminophenyl) N‐confused porphyrin, 7 , was achieved with a yield of 90%.     

N‐(o‐Chloro­phenyl)‐2,5‐di­methyl­pyrrole‐3‐carb­aldehyde

Crystal structure analysis of the title compound, C₁₃H₁₂ClNO, reveals three crystallographically independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit. The main conformational difference between these mol­ecules is the orientation of the phenyl rings with respect to the pyrrole rings. The coplanar arrangement of the aldehyde groups attached to the pyrrole rings influences the pyrrole‐ring geometry. The C2—C3 and N1—C5 bonds are noticeably longer than the C4—C5 and N1—C2 bonds. Two independent mol­ecules of the title compound form dimers via intermolecular C—H⃛O hydrogen bonds [D⃛A = 3.400 (3) Å and D—H⃛A = 157°]. The perpendicular orientation of the phenyl and pyrrole rings of one independent mol­ecule and its symmetry‐related mol­ecule allows C—H⃛π interactions, with an H⃛centroid distance of 2.85 Å and a C—H⃛π angle of 155°. The distances between the H atom and the pyrrole‐ring atoms indicate that the C—H bond points towards one of the bonds in the pyrrole ring.     

Hydrogen‐bonding patterns in six derivatives of 2,4‐dimethyl­pyrrole

The crystal and mol­ecular structures of 4‐ethyl‐3,5‐dimethyl­pyrrole‐2‐carbaldehyde, C₁₀H₁₅NO, (I), benzyl 3,5‐dimethyl­pyrrole‐2‐carboxyl­ate, C₁₄H₁₅NO₂, (II), benzyl 4‐acetyl‐3,5‐dimethyl­pyrrole‐2‐carboxyl­ate, C₁₆H₁₇NO₃, (III), dimethyl 3,5‐dimethyl­pyrrole‐2,4‐dicarboxyl­ate, C₁₀H₁₃NO₄, (IV), 4‐ethyl‐3,5‐dimethyl‐2‐(p‐tos­ylacet­yl)pyrrole, C₁₇H₂₁NO₃S, (V), and ethyl 4‐(2‐ethoxy­carbonyl‐2‐hydroxy­acrylo­yl)‐3,5‐dimethyl­pyrrole‐2‐carboxyl­ate, C₁₅H₁₉NO₆, (VI), were determined at 130 K. Compounds (I), (II), (IV), (V) and (VI) form hydrogen‐bonded dimers [N—H⋯O=C = 1.97 (2)–2.03 (3) Å]. Four dimers, viz. (I) and (IV)–(VI), have inversion symmetry, while the dimer of (II) has twofold symmetry. Only (III) forms polymeric chains involving hydrogen bonds between the pyrrole H atom and the acetyl carbonyl group [H⋯O = 1.97 (2) Å] and is further stabilized by CH₃⋯O inter­actions (C—H⋯O = 2.28–2.49 Å). Compound (VI) was found to occur as the enol ether in the crystal.     

Jailbreaking benzene dimers

We suggest four new benzene dimers, (C(6)H(6))(2), all featuring one or more cyclohexadiene rings trans-fused to 4- or 6-membered rings. These hypothetical dimers are 50-99 kcal/mol less stable than two benzenes, but have computed activation energies to fragmentation ≥27 kcal/mol. A thorough search of potential escape routes was undertaken, through cyclobutane ring cleavage to 12-annulenes, sigmatropic 1,5-H-shifts, electrocyclic ring-openings of the 6-membered rings, and Diels-Alder dimerizations. Some channels for reaction emerge, but there is a reasonable chance that some of these new benzene dimers can be made.     

Polarizable empirical force field for nitrogen‐containing heteroaromatic compounds based on the classical Drude oscillator

The polarizable empirical CHARMM force field based on the classical Drude oscillator has been extended to the nitrogen‐containing heteroaromatic compounds pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, imidazole, indole, and purine. Initial parameters for the six‐membered rings were based on benzene with nonbond parameter optimization focused on the nitrogen atoms and adjacent carbons and attached hydrogens. In the case of five‐member rings, parameters were first developed for imidazole and transferred to pyrrole. Optimization of all parameters was performed against an extensive set of quantum mechanical and experimental data. Ab initio data were used for the determination of initial electrostatic parameters, the vibrational analysis, and in the optimization of the relative magnitudes of the Lennard‐Jones (LJ) parameters, through computations of the interactions of dimers of model compounds, model compound‐water interactions, and interactions of rare gases with model compounds. The absolute values of the LJ parameters were determined targeting experimental heats of vaporization, molecular volumes, heats of sublimation, crystal lattice parameters, and free energies of hydration. Final scaling of the polarizabilities from the gas‐phase values by 0.85 was determined by reproduction of the dielectric constants of pyridine and pyrrole. The developed parameter set was extensively validated against additional experimental data such as diffusion constants, heat capacities, and isothermal compressibilities, including data as a function of temperature. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2009     

Optical,Electrochemical, and Magnetic Properties of Pyrrole‐ and Thiophene‐Bridged 5,15‐Diazaporphyrin Dimers

The first examples of pyrrole‐ and thiophene‐bridged 5,15‐diazaporphyrin (DAP) dimers are prepared through Stille coupling reactions of nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes of 3‐bromo‐10,20‐dimesityl‐5,15‐diazaporphyrin (mesityl=2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl) with the respective 2,5‐bis(tributylstannyl)heteroles. The effects of the heterole spacers and meso nitrogen atoms on the optical, electrochemical, and magnetic properties of the DAP dimers are investigated by UV/Vis absorption spectroscopy, density functional theory calculations, magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and EPR spectroscopy. The heterole spacers are found to have a significant impact on the electronic transitions over the entire π‐system. In particular, the pyrrole‐bridged DAP dimers exhibit high light‐harvesting potential in the low‐energy visible/near‐infrared region owing to the intrinsic charge‐transfer character of the lowest excitation.     

Acid-base properties and DNA-binding of water soluble N-confused porphyrins with cationic side-arms

Water soluble N-confused porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(alpha-pyridinio-p-tolyl)-2-aza-21-carbaporphyrin (pPyNCP) and its N-methyl derivative, 2-N-methyl-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(alpha-pyridinio-p-tolyl)-2-aza-21-carbaporphyrin (NMe-pPyNCP), have been synthesized by introducing cationic side-arms at the meso-positions of N-confused porphyrin. Their acid-base properties (pK(1-4)) and DNA-binding ability in aqueous solutions were elucidated in comparison with the corresponding porphyrin derivative. Photophysical behaviors of pPyNCP were largely influenced by buffer compositions and DNA structures, whereas NMe-pPyNCP is considerably robust against these factors. In addition, significant enhancement of the fluorescence was observed with NMe-pPyNCP by the addition of DNA. The unique properties of pPyNCP and NMe-pPyNCP stem from the confused pyrrole rings in the macrocycle.