Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Nitrophenolic Explosives by Using Nanospheres of a Tetraphenylethylene Macrocycle Displaying Aggregation‐Induced Emission

A tetraphenylethylene (TPE) Schiff‐base macrocycle showing an aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) effect has been synthesized, which could aggregate into nanospheres and emit yellow fluorescence in aqueous media. By virtue of its AIE effect, the macrocycle showed a sensitive and selective response to 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (TNP) and 2,4‐dinitrophenol (DNP) among a number of nitroaromatic compounds, which could be used to detect TNP and DNP at nanomolar levels. Moreover, it exhibited a superamplified quenching effect with DNP but not with TNP, providing a possible means of discriminating these two compounds. In comparison with open‐chain TPE Schiff‐bases, the cavity of the macrocycle is essential for the selectivity for DNP over TNP. In addition, quantitative analyses of both DNP and TNP in real water samples and qualitative detection of these two analytes in the solid state by the macrocycle have been tested. The reliability of the quantitative analysis has been confirmed by HPLC. Our findings demonstrate that the TPE Schiff‐base macrocycle has great potential as an excellent sensor for DNP and TNP.     

Facile Synthesis of Size‐Tunable Functional Polyimidazolium Macrocycles through a Photochemical Closing Strategy

A synthetic strategy for the preparation of a series of polyimidazolium macrocycles from the corresponding dicarbene‐derived metallacycles is described. Photodimerization of terminal cinnamic esters (UV‐irradiation, λ=365 nm) produces the closed metallacycles with perfect stereoselectivity and high yields. Subsequent removal of the template from the photodimerization product results in polyimidazolium macrocycles. The size and shape of the receptor can be tuned easily by changing the length and breadth of the internal bridging groups of the ligands. Preliminary investigation shows the potential of the macrocycle as iodide sensor.     

Spontaneous Capture of Carbohydrate Guests through Folding and Zipping of Self‐Assembled Ribbons

One of the great challenges in molecular self‐assembly is how to confer self‐folding and closing characteristics on flat two‐dimensional structures in response to external triggers. Herein, we report a planar ribbon assembly that folds into closed tubules in response to fructose. The ribbons, ≈28 nm wide and 3.5 nm thick, consist of 8 laterally‐associated elementary fibrils in which disc‐shaped macrocycle amphiphiles are stacked along their axis. Upon addition of fructose, these flat structures spontaneously fold into closed tubules, with an outer diameter of ≈8 nm, through zipping of the two sides of the ribbons. Notably, the folding and then zipping of the flat ribbons is accompanied by spontaneous capture of the fructose molecules inside the tubular cavities.     

Metallomacrocycles incorporating a hemilabile Tröger's base derived ligand

Tr?ger's base, a chiral molecule with a rigid 90 degrees backbone, has been incorporated into a novel hemilabile phosphinoalkyl thioether ligand. Using the Weak Link Approach, this ligand has been reacted with Cu(CH3CN)4PF6 and [Rh(COE)2Cl]x (COE = cyclooctene) to form metallomacrocycles. Upon reaction of the ligand with Cu(I), which prefers a tetrahedral coordination geometry, a bimetallic macrocycle was formed. Alternatively, owing to the steric restrictions imposed by the 90 degrees backbone of the ligand and the square-planar geometry of Rh(I), when the ligand was reacted with [Rh(COE)2Cl]x, the formation of bimetallic closed macrocycles was not observed, and instead a mixture of tri- and tetrametallic closed macrocycles is formed. Introducing pyridine to the Cu(I) complex causes the weak thioether-Cu bonds to break, generating a large bimetallic open macrocycle. Upon reaction of the mixture of Rh(I) metallomacrocycles with CO and Cl-, the cyclic structure of these complexes becomes flexible enough that the dimeric bimetallic macrocycle forms, along with tri- and tetrameric open complexes. The mixture of differently sized Rh(I) macrocyclic complexes has been analyzed using gel permeation chromatography, and the tetramer has been characterized by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. These are the first examples of metallomacrocycles containing a Tr?ger's base derivative.     

Chiral Macrocycle‐Enabled Counteranion Trapping for Boosting Highly Efficient and Enantioselective Catalysis

The tight binding enabled by tailor‐made macrocycles can be manipulated for tuning the catalysis process. In parallel to well‐developed crown ether‐based cation‐binding catalysis, a macrocycle‐enabled counteranion trapping strategy is presented for boosting highly efficient and enantioselective catalysis. A set of bis‐diarylthiourea macrocycles containing two BINOL moieties were designed and synthesized. They possess a well‐confined chiral cavity and strong binding affinities towards disulfonate anions. Caused by the tight binding, just 1 mol % macrocycle in combination with 1 mol % ethanedisulfonic acid can promote excellent conversion and up to 99 % ee in the Friedel–Crafts reaction of indoles with imines. The acid or the macrocycle alone do not afford any reactivity. The high catalytic efficiency and excellent stereocontrol was ascribed to large, complexation‐induced acidity enhancement and tight ion‐pairing facilitated by cave‐like macrocyclic cavity.     

Evidence for Dual Pathway in Through‐Space Singlet Energy Transfers in Flexible Cofacial Bisporphyrin Dyads

Flexible “pacman” scaffolds built upon a calix[4]arene platform bearing a [18]crown‐6 ether and either two OH functions or two OPr groups at the lower rim have been used to generate donor–acceptor (D–A) dyads incorporating a zinc–porphyrin donor and a free‐base porphyrin acceptor. Through‐space singlet energy transfer (SET) in the D–A dyads was studied by time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Although the effects of conformational changes are well documented when the chromophores switch from a non‐cofacial to a cofacial arrangement, little is known about flexible pacman scaffolds in which the changes are limited to the distance between the chromophores. The known SET rates for reported, geometrically well‐defined, rigid pacman D–A dyads were used as calibration to estimate the D–A distances in the flexible pacman dyads. Due to the flexibility of the calix[4]arene spacer, the D–A dyads adopt a “closed” or “open” geometry that is tuned by intramolecular hydrogen bonds (O? H???[18]crown‐6 ether) and by solvent interactions. Changes in the SET rates between the open and closed geometries were surprisingly less dramatic than expected, and are explained by a dual SET pathway that is specific to the calix[4]arene platform. Time‐resolved fluorescence studies support the hypothesis that, for the “open” conformer, the preferred through space SET pathway (i.e., at the shortest distance) is located within the calix[4]arene cavity through the cofacial phenyl groups. For the “closed” conformer, the preferred through space SET route is located between the zinc and free‐base porphyrins.     

Heterocorrole Conformations: Little Saddling,Much Ruffling

10‐Heterocorrole complexes with oxygen, sulfur, and selenium at position 10 of the macrocycle and with the divalent ions of nickel, copper, and palladium were prepared and investigated. The focus was set on the size adaptation and matching mechanisms of cavity size versus ionic radius in corrole‐type macrocycles. A full set of single‐crystal X‐ray analytical data revealed that in all but one case the N₄ binding site of the ring‐contracted tetrapyrrole was larger than necessary to bind the metal ion without deformation. In‐plane size adaptation through M−N bond‐length elongation by 2.5–3.2 % was effective, as well as pronounced out‐of‐plane ruffling of the macrocycle for those compounds with a more severe size mismatch. Such ruffling had been excluded for corroles previously, but is apparently the most efficient mechanism to adapt to small central ions.     

Heterocorrole Conformations: Little Saddling,Much Ruffling

10‐Heterocorrole complexes with oxygen, sulfur, and selenium at position 10 of the macrocycle and with the divalent ions of nickel, copper, and palladium were prepared and investigated. The focus was set on the size adaptation and matching mechanisms of cavity size versus ionic radius in corrole‐type macrocycles. A full set of single‐crystal X‐ray analytical data revealed that in all but one case the N₄ binding site of the ring‐contracted tetrapyrrole was larger than necessary to bind the metal ion without deformation. In‐plane size adaptation through M−N bond‐length elongation by 2.5–3.2 % was effective, as well as pronounced out‐of‐plane ruffling of the macrocycle for those compounds with a more severe size mismatch. Such ruffling had been excluded for corroles previously, but is apparently the most efficient mechanism to adapt to small central ions.     

A Macrocyclic Peptide Library with a Structurally Constrained Cyclopropane‐containing Building Block Leads to Thiol‐independent Inhibitors of Phosphoglycerate Mutase

Here we report the construction of an mRNA‐encoded library of thioether‐closed macrocyclic peptides by using an N‐chloroacetyl‐cyclopropane‐containing exotic initiator whose structure is more constrained than the ordinary N‐chloroacetyl‐α‐amino acid initiators. The use of such an initiator has led to a macrocycle library with significantly suppressed population of lariat‐shaped species compared with the conventional libraries. We previously used a conventional library and identified a small lariat thioether‐macrocycle with a tail peptide with a C‐terminal free Cys whose sidechain plays an essential role in potent inhibitory activity against a parasitic model enzyme, phosphoglycerate mutase. On the other hand, the cyclopropane‐containing macrocycle library has yielded a larger thioether‐macrocycle lacking a free Cys residue, which exhibits potent inhibitory activity to the same enzyme with a different mode of action. This result indicates that such a cyclopropane‐containing macrocycle library would allow us to access mechanistically distinct macrocycles.     

A tubular macrocycle from covalently linked anthracenes and meta-phenylene spacers

A novel tubular macrocycle containing four anthracene panels covalently linked by meta-phenylene spacers was synthesized. The tube is approximately 1 nm long with anthracene panels delimiting a columnar cavity with a diameter of ~1 nm and exhibits strong blue fluorescence.     

Synthesis of a Strained Acetylenic Macrocycle Incorporating a para‐Oligo[2]cruciform Bridge Bent over Nanoscopic Dimensions: Structural,Electronic, Spectroscopic,and Ion‐Sensing Properties

An Eglinton–Galbraith diethyne cyclization preferentially yielded a structurally unusual macrocycle, comprising a strained conjugated oligo[2]cruciform wire, forced into a 2.2 nm bow‐shape by a terpyridine rein or tether, and stabilized towards light and heat by four insulating triisopropylsilylacetylene (TIPSA) substituents. Spectroscopic ion‐binding studies revealed the macrocycle to exhibit a particularly high UV/Vis selectivity for Pd^II in dilute solution, and one of its precursors to afford a variety of luminescence quenching and color responses to particular metals, suggestive of promising ion‐sensor applications. Under more concentrated conditions, the new macrocycle is able to bind specific metals (e.g., Au^I) within its cavity despite the steric constraints. Intriguingly, variable‐temperature (VT) UV/Vis/¹H NMR investigations showed the TIPSA substituents to undergo restricted intramolecular motions along with reversible changes in the spectroscopic bandgap of the compound with temperature. In line with the theoretical calculations, the VT UV/Vis observations are consistent with a thermal modulation of the electronic conjugation through the strained oligo[2]cruciform bridge, which is coupled with redistributions within a mixture of conformational isomers of the macrocycle with differing relative twisting between the TIPSA‐substituted phenyl rings. Overall, the generation of a para‐oligo[2]cruciform, bent and flexed over nanoscopic dimensions through conformational tethering within the macrocyclic ring is noteworthy, and suggests a general approach to nanosized, curved, and strained, yet heat‐ and light‐stable, para‐phenyleneethynylene oligomers with unique physicochemical properties and challenging theoretical possibilities.     

Effect of Solvent and Protonation/Deprotonation on Electrochemistry,Spectroelectrochemistry and Electron‐Transfer Mechanisms of N‐Confused Tetraarylporphyrins in Nonaqueous Media

A series of N‐confused free‐base meso‐substituted tetraarylporphyrins was investigated by electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry in nonaqueous media containing 0.1 M tetra‐n‐butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) and added acid or base. The investigated compounds are represented as (XPh)₄NcpH₂, in which “Ncp” is the N‐confused porphyrin macrocycle and X is a OCH₃, CH₃, H, or Cl substituent on the para position of each meso‐phenyl ring of the macrocycle. Two distinct types of UV/Vis spectra are initially observed depending upon solvent, one corresponding to an inner‐2H form and the other to an inner‐3H form of the porphyrin. Both forms have an inverted pyrrole with a carbon inside the cavity and a nitrogen on the periphery of the π‐system. Each porphyrin undergoes multiple irreversible reductions and oxidations. The first one‐electron addition and first one‐electron abstraction are located on the porphyrin π‐ring system to give π‐anion and π‐cation radicals with a potential separation of 1.52 to 1.65 V between the two processes, but both electrogenerated products are unstable and undergo a rapid chemical reaction to give new electroactive species, which were characterized in the present study. The effect of the solvent and protonation/deprotonation reactions on the UV/Vis spectra, redox potentials and reduction/oxidation mechanisms is discussed with comparisons made to data and mechanisms for the structurally related free‐base corroles and porphyrins.     

Coordination Chemistry‐Assembled Multicomponent Systems Built from a Gable‐Like Bis‐Porphyrin: Synthesis and Photophysical Properties

Multiporphyrinic assemblies were quantitatively formed, in one step, from a gable‐like zinc(II) bis‐porphyrin ZnP₂ and free‐base porphyrins bearing pyridyl groups. The different fragments are held together by axial 4′‐N(pyridyl)–Zn interactions. Formation of a macrocycle ZnP₂?(4′‐cisDPyP) and a bis‐macrocycle (ZnP₂)₂?(TPyP) is discussed. The macrocycle and the bis‐macrocycle were crystallized and studied by X‐ray diffraction, which confirmed the excellent complementarity between the various components. Spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric titrations and studies reveal high association constants for both multiporphyrinic assemblies due to the almost perfect geometrical match between the interacting units. As expected, energy transfer from the zinc porphyrin component to the free‐base porphyrin quenches the fluorescence of the zinc porphyrin components in both compounds. But while in ZnP₂?(4′‐cis DPyP) sensitization of the emission of the free‐base porphyrin was observed, in (ZnP₂)₂?(TPyP) excitation of the peripheral Zn porphyrin units does not lead to quantitative sensitization of the luminescence of the free‐base porphyrin acceptor. An unusual HOMO–HOMO electron transfer reaction from ZnP₂ to the excited TPyP unit was detected and studied.     

Active‐Metal Template Synthesis of a Halogen‐Bonding Rotaxane for Anion Recognition

The synthesis of an all‐halogen‐bonding rotaxane for anion recognition is achieved by using active‐metal templation. A flexible bis‐iodotriazole‐containing macrocycle is exploited for the metal‐directed rotaxane synthesis. Endotopic binding of a Cu^I template facilitates an active‐metal CuAAC iodotriazole axle formation reaction that captures the interlocked rotaxane product. Following copper‐template removal, exotopic coordination of a more sterically demanding rhenium(I) complex induces an inversion in the conformation of the macrocycle component, directing the iodotriazole halogen‐bond donors into the rotaxane’s interlocked binding cavity to facilitate anion recognition.     

Macrocycle Embrace: Encapsulation of Fluoroarenes by m‐Phenylene Ethynylene Host

We report structural characterization of a new member of m‐phenylene ethynylene ring family. This shape‐persistent macrocycle also co‐crystallizes with hexafluoro‐, 1,2,4,5‐tetrafluoro‐, 1,3,5‐trifluoro, and 1,4‐difluorobenzene. The four complexes are almost isostructural, and all show the fluoroarene included into the central cavity of the macrocycle. Characterized by multiple short C?H???F?C contacts, these inclusion complexes further dimerize in the solid state into a 2+2 assembly, in which the two macrocycles embrace each other by their large hydrophobic groups that are rotated by 60° relative to one another.     

Columnar Liquid Crystals from a Giant Macrocycle Mesogen

Columnar liquid crystals composed of a giant macrocyclic mesogen were prepared. The giant macrocyclic mesogen has a square hollow with a 2.5 nm diagonal, which was bounded by diindolo[3,2‐b:2′,3′‐h]carbazole (diindolocarbazole) moieties as the edges and bis(salicylidene)‐o‐phenylenediamine (salphen) moieties as the corners. The shape and size of the macrocycle were directly observed by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Each side of the bright square in the STM image corresponds to a diindolocarbazole moiety, and the length of the sides was consistent with the result of the single crystal analysis of diindolocarbazole. Finally, we successfully obtained a giant macrocycle with long and branched side chains, which exhibited a rectangular columnar LC phase over a wide temperature range. To the best of our knowledge, it contained the largest discrete inner space of any thermotropic columnar liquid crystal composed of macrocyclic mesogens.     

Local Unfolding of Fatty Acid Binding Protein to Allow Ligand Entry for Binding

Fatty acid binding proteins are responsible for the transportation of fatty acids in biology. Despite intensive studies, the molecular mechanism of fatty acid entry to and exit from the protein cavity is still unclear. Here a cap‐closed variant of human intestinal fatty acid binding protein was generated by mutagenesis, in which the helical cap is locked to the β‐barrel by a disulfide linkage. Structure determination shows that this variant adopts a closed conformation, but still uptakes fatty acids. Stopped‐flow experiments indicate that a rate‐limiting step exists before the ligand association and this step corresponds to the conversion of the closed form to the open one. NMR relaxation dispersion and H‐D exchange data demonstrate the presence of two excited states: one is native‐like, but the other adopts a locally unfolded structure. Local unfolding of helix 2 generates an opening for ligands to enter the protein cavity, and thus controls the ligand association rate.     

An intramolecularly self-templated synthesis of macrocycles: self-filling effects on the formation of prismarenes

Ethyl- and propyl-prism[6]arenes are obtained in high yields and in short reaction times, independent of the nature and size of the solvent, in the cyclization of 2,6-dialkoxynaphthalene with paraformaldehyde. PrS[6]Et or PrS[6]nPr adopt, both in solution and in the solid state, a folded cuboid-shaped conformation, in which four inward oriented alkyl chains fill the cavity of the macrocycle. On these bases, we proposed that the cyclization of PrS[6]Et or PrS[6]nPr occurs through an intramolecular thermodynamic self-templating effect. In other words, the self-filling of the internal cavity of PrS[6]Et or PrS[6]nPr stabilizes their cuboid structure, driving the equilibrium toward their formation. Molecular recognition studies, both in solution and in the solid state, show that the introduction of guests into the macrocycle cavity forces the cuboid scaffold to open, through an induced-fit mechanism. An analogous conformational change from a closed to an open state occurs during the endo-cavity complexation process of the pentamer, PrS[5]. These results represent a rare example of a thermodynamically controlled cyclization process driven through an intramolecular self-template effect, which could be exploited in the synthesis of novel macrocycles.

Ethyl- and propyl-prism[6]arenes are obtained by an intramolecular thermodynamic self-template effect: the self-filling of the internal cavity stabilizes their cuboid structure, driving the equilibrium toward their formation.     

Electron Microscopy Characterization of Silicon Dioxide Nanotubes

Well‐developed crystals of [Pt(NH₃)₄](HCO₃)₂ are employed as template for the synthesis of silicon dioxide nanotubes (SiO₂‐NTs). Silicon dioxide, which is produced by a sol‐gel reaction, coats the surface of these crystals and builds up the nanotube walls. In the final step, the Pt‐salt fibers are thermally decomposed and auto‐reduced to metallic Pt nanoparticles. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM) investigations of the product confirm the formation of silicon dioxide nanotubes in high yield. The tube walls consist of amorphous silicon dioxide. The tube length generally is 0.5 — 3 μm, while the thickness varies in two distinct ranges: thick tubes have a diameter of 100 — 500 nm and thin ones of approximately 50 nm. Most of the NTs are filled with Pt particles, but others, typically the larger ones with open tube ends, obviously are empty. Presumably, open ends cause the observed Pt loss. In closed SiO₂‐NTs, Pt forms as ca. 10 nm large particles in the tube core and as 1 — 2 nm large particles inside the tube walls.     

Optical switching,photophysical, and electrochemical behaviors of pendant triazole‐linked indolylfulgimide polymer

Triazole‐linked 2‐indolylfulgimide polymer has been synthesized and its photochromic switching behavior has been characterized by NMR, IR, GPC, TGA, DSC, and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The synthesized photochromic polymer showed absorption peak maxima at 386 and 510 nm wherein the absorption at 510 nm was attributed to charge transfer from triazole ring nitrogen to carbonyl carbon of fulgimide unit. Fluorescence lifetime studies on exciting at 550 nm reveals triexponential behavior with fluorescence decay around 0.1, 1 and 4.2 ns, which correspond to open (E), closed (C) form of fulgimide and triazole ring, respectively. Whereas exciting at 470 nm evidences biexponential fit with fluorescence decay around 0.1 and 2.2 ns, which corresponds to the closed (C) form and triazole ring, respectively. Fluorescence decay of triazole ring was found to be influenced by the excitation wavelength. The cyclic voltammogram of open form of polymer depicts irreversible reductive wave at ?1.4 V. On illumination with 360‐nm light, the reduction wave of polymer was shifted toward less cathodic wave at ?0.9 V; this leads to formation of the closed form of fulgimide unit. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011