Acid‐Labile Acyclic Cucurbit[n]uril Molecular Containers for Controlled Release

Stimuli‐responsive molecular containers are of great importance for controlled drug delivery and other biomedical applications. A new type of acid labile acyclic cucurbit[n ]uril (CB[n ]) molecular containers is presented that can degrade and release the encapsulated cargo at accelerated rates under mildly acidic conditions (pH 5.5–6.5). These containers retain the excellent recognition properties of CB[n ]‐type hosts. A cell culture study demonstrated that the cellular uptake of cargos could be fine‐tuned by complexation with different containers. The release and cell uptake of cargo dye was promoted by acidic pH.     

Cucurbit[5]uril, Decamethylcucurbit[5]uril and Cucurbit[6]uril. Synthesis, Solubility and Amine Complex Formation

A simple way to prepare cucurbit[5]uril is described. The macrocycles of the cucurbituril type are nearly insoluble in water. The solubilities of cucurbit[5]uril, decamethylcucurbit[5]uril and cucurbit[6]uril in hydrochloric acid, formic acid and acetic acid of different concentrations have been investigated. Due to the formation of complexes between cucurbit[n]urils and protons the solubility increases in aqueous acids. The macrocyclic ligands are able to form complexes with several organic compounds. Thus, the complex formation of the cucurbituril macrocycles with different amines has beenstudied by means of calorimetric titrations. The reaction enthalpy gives noevidence of the formation of inclusion or exclusion complexes. ¹H-NMR measurements show that in the case of cucurbit[5]uril and cucurbit[6]uril the organic guest compound is included within the hydrophobic cavity. Decamethylcucurbit[5]uril forms only exclusion complexes with organicamines. This was confirmed by the crystal structure of the decamethylcucurbit[5]uril-1,6-diaminohexane complex.     

葫芦脲的研究进展

葫芦脲(CB[n])及其衍生物是由n个苷脲单元连接成的穴状分子,因其结构特殊,受到广泛的关注与研究。本文综述了CB[n]的性质、合成以及近年来CB[n]在分子开关、催化剂、药物载体等方面的研究进展。     

Supramolecular Recognition of Amino Acids by Twisted Cucurbit[14]uril

Binding interactions between twisted cucurbit[14]uril (tQ[14]) and twenty standard amino acids (AAs) have been investigated by NMR spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in aqueous HCl solutions and in DMSO. The results showed that tQ[14] displays clear binding affinity for AAs with a positively charged side chain or containing an aromatic ring, but weaker binding affinity for AAs with hydrophobic or polar side chains, with the binding mode depending on the type of side chain present in the AAs.     

Cucurbit[6]uril/PVC-based semipermeable membranes as electrode modifiers for electrochemical investigation of insoluble substrates

We have described here a new kind of membrane material which acts as an ionic conductor on the surface of modified electrodes. Using these membranes it is possible to assemble highly efficient modified electrodes for electrochemical investigation of insoluble substrates. These materials can easily replace carbon paste electrodes and Nafion^® for this purpose with a series of advantages.     

八元瓜环与抗癌药物甲氨蝶呤的超分子相互作用

利用紫外吸收光谱法考察了八元瓜环(Q[8])与抗癌药物甲氨蝶呤(MTX)的相互作用;同时研究了甲氨蝶呤的不同质子化形式及体系温度对相互作用的影响;计算了相应的稳定常数及热力学参数等.实验结果表明,Q[8]与MTX作用比为1∶1,包结平衡常数为(7.64±1.52)×104 L/mol;龄前热力学参数测定结果表明,上述主...     

六元瓜环、对称四甲基六元瓜环与2,2'-(1,8-辛烷)-二异喹啉二溴化物的自组装模式

利用核磁共振波谱、 紫外吸收光谱、 荧光光谱和单晶X射线衍射分析等考察了六元瓜环(Q[6])及对称四甲基六元瓜环(TMeQ[6])与2,2'-(1,8-辛烷)-二异喹啉二溴化物的相互作用. 实验结果表明, 客体分子分别与这2种瓜环自组装形成相似的1∶1包结配合物, 但晶体结构分析结果表明两个体系在主客体分子间作用力诱导下形成了不同的空间堆积模式, 其包结常数分别为K_K8-Q[6]=4.18×10⁷ L/mol, K_K8-TMeQ[6]=6.11×10⁷ L/mol.     

Determination of Paraquat by Cucurbit[7]uril Sensitized Fluorescence Quenching Method

A method for the determination of paraquat by cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) fluorescence quenching was developed. The assay was based on the reaction of the CB[7] with acridine orange. The fluorescence intensity of acridine orange regularly increased with the addition of CB[7]. However, while an appropriate amount of paraquat was added to the CB[7]- acridine orange system, the fluorescence intensity of the system was quenched which was employed to determine paraquat. Under the optimum conditions, a linear range of 3.0–800 nmol L^?1 and a detection limit of 1.61 nmol L^?1 for paraquat were obtained. The simple strategy reported here offers great practical potential for the determination of pesticide residues in agricultural products.     

Cucurbit[7]uril as a Supramolecular Artificial Enzyme for Diels–Alder Reactions

The ability to mimic the activity of natural enzymes using supramolecular constructs (artificial enzymes) is a vibrant scientific research field. Herein, we demonstrate that cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) can catalyse Diels–Alder reactions for a number of substituted and unreactive N ‐allyl‐2‐furfurylamines under biomimetic conditions, without the need for protecting groups, yielding powerful synthons in previously unreported mild conditions. CB[7] rearranges the substrate in a highly reactive conformation and shields it from the aqueous environment, thereby mimicking the mode of action of a natural Diels–Alderase. These findings can be directly applied to the phenomenon of product inhibition observed in natural Diels–Alderase enzymes, and pave the way toward the development of novel, supramolecular‐based green catalysts.     

Efficient Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence of a Solid‐State Supramolecule Enhanced by Cucurbit[6]uril

Efficient emission of purely organic room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) is of great significant for potential application in optoelectronics and photobiology. Herein, we report an uncommon phosphorescent effect of organic single molecule enhanced by resulting supramolecular assembly of host–guest complexation. The chromophore bromophenyl‐methyl‐pyridinium (PY) with different counterions as guests display various phosphorescence quantum yields from 0.4 % to 24.1 %. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction results indicate that the chromophore with iodide counterion (PYI) exhibits the highest efficiency maybe due to the halogen‐bond interactions. Significantly, the nanosupramolecular assembly of PY chloride complexation with the cucurbit[6]uril gives a greatly enhanced phosphorescent quantum yield up to 81.2 % in ambient. Such great enhancement is because of the strict encapsulation of cucurbit[6]uril, which prevents the nonradiative relaxation and promotes intersystem crossing (ISC). This supramolecular assembly concept with counterions effect provides a novel approach for the improvement of RTP.     

Complexation behavior of cucurbit[6]uril with short polypeptides

The binding properties of cucurbit[6]uril towards various peptides have been investigated in acidic aqueous solution. Stability constants and thermodynamic values of the complex formation between following peptides: glycyl-l-alanine, l-leucyl-l-valine, glycyl-l-asparagine, l-leucyl-l-phenylalanine, l-leucyl-l-tryptophan, glycyl-l-histidine, l-glutathione reduced (γ-l-glutamyl-l-cysteinyl-glycine, GSH), and dl-leucyl-glycyl-dl-phenylalanine) with cucurbit[6]uril in aqueous formic acid (50%, v/v) have been calculated from calorimetric titrations. From these results it can be seen that the peptides form exclusion complexes with cucurbit[6]uril. Due to the polar peptide bond they are not included within the hydrophobic cavity of cucurbit[6]uril. The complex formation is favoured by entropic contributions. The release of water molecules from the polar amino groups of the peptides and the carbonyl groups of cucurbituril are responsible.     

以黄连素/葫芦脲[7]包合物为荧光探针测定青霉胺

黄连素能和葫芦脲[7]生成1:1的主-客体稳定的包合物并使其荧光强度显著增强。当加入青霉胺后,黄连素/葫芦脲[7]所形成的包合物的荧光迅速猝灭,据此建立了一种简便灵敏的检测青霉胺的新方法。青霉胺浓度在90～3000μg/L范围内与荧光猝灭值ΔF呈良好的线性关系,相关系数0.9996。检出限为30μg/L。本方法的加标回收率为98.3%～103.6%,相对标准偏差为0.68%～0.95%。本方法成功用于药片中青霉胺的测定。     

紫精与八元瓜环的超分子组装及光切割质粒DNA

利用紫精可以活化水中溶解氧的特性, 设计合成了苯-紫精化合物(BEV). 利用紫外吸收、电化学及核磁等方法研究了BEV与八元瓜环CB[8] 之间的相互作用. 实验结果表明, 2种化合物可以进行主客体超分子自组装形成1∶ 1的二元包合物BEV-CB[8]. 同时, 分别考察了化合物BEV和BEV-CB[8]与小牛胸腺DNA的相互作用, 并采用琼脂糖凝胶电泳研究了氙灯光照下化合物对pBR322 DNA的切割能力. 结果表明, CB[8]的引入改变了化合物BEV与DNA的作用方式, 使嵌入作用和静电作用增强. 光照结果说明只有超分子BEV-CB[8]在光照下可以完全切割质粒DNA, 即CB[8]的存在明显提高了BEV对质粒DNA的切割效率.     

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a Binuclear Gadolinium(III) Complex Bridged by Cucurbit[6]uril

Cucurbit[6]uril (Q6, Figure 1) is a macrocyclic ligand with interesting complexing properties. In contrast to other macrocyclic ligands, such as crown ethers, cryptands or calixarenes, this ligand has a rigid structure offering a hollow core of about 5.5 …     

Complexation of bipyridinium guests in the cavity of Acyclic Cucurbit[n]uril receptor

A series of bipyridinium guests have been synthesised, and their inclusion complexes with acyclic CB[n]-type receptor have been investigated by NMR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Novel [3]pseudorotaxane was formed by C-H ^… O, π-π and ion–dipole interactions. The impact of their complexation on the equilibrium between monomer and dimer of bipyridinium cation radicals has also been studied by UV-Vis-NIR and EPR spectroscopy. Upon reduction, the bipyridinium units linked by flexible pentylene chain preferred the formation of the dimer in the presence of acyclic CB[n]-type receptor, whereas those connected by rigid xylene bridge were suppressed as monomeric form due to the steric effect.