Metal-Coordination-Assisted Folding and Guest Binding in Helical Aromatic Oligoamide Molecular Capsules

The development of foldamer-based receptors is driven by the design of monomers with specific properties. Herein, we introduce a pyridazine-pyridine-pyridazine diacid monomer and its incorporation into helical aromatic oligoamide foldamer containers. This monomer codes for a wide helix diameter and can sequester metal ions on the inner wall of the helix cavity. Crystallographic studies and NMR titrations show that part of the metal coordination sphere remains available and may then promote the binding of a guest within the cavity. In addition to metal coordination, binding of the guest is assisted by cooperative interactions with the helix host, thereby resulting in significant enhancements depending on the foldamer sequence, and in slow guest capture and release on the NMR time scale. In the absence of metal ions, the pyridazine-pyridine-pyridazine monomer promotes an extended conformation of the foldamer that results in aggregation, including the formation of an intertwined duplex.     

Host–Guest Chemistry of a Water‐Soluble Pillar[5]arene: Evidence for an Ionic‐Exchange Recognition Process and Different Complexation Modes

The complexation of an anionic guest by a cationic water‐soluble pillararene is reported. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), ¹H NMR, ¹H and ¹⁹F DOSY, and STD NMR experiments were performed to characterize the complex formed under aqueous neutral conditions. The results of ITC and ¹H NMR analyses showed the inclusion of the guest inside the cavity of the pillar[5]arene, with the binding constant and thermodynamic parameters influenced by the counter ion of the macrocycle. NMR diffusion experiments showed that although a fraction of the counter ions are expelled from the host cavity by exchange with the guest, a complex with both counter ions and the guest inside the pillararene is formed. The results also showed that at higher concentrations of guest in solution, in addition to the inclusion of one guest molecule in the cavity, the pillararene can also form an external complex with a second guest molecule.     

Acid/Base‐Mediated Uptake and Release of Halide Anions with a Preorganized Aryl‐Triazole Foldamer

A new approach for the construction of artificial receptors capable of selectively uptake and release of halides to mimic the biological halide ions pumps is developed, in which the preorganized aryl‐triazole foldamer was designed to bear a resorcinolic group in the central strand as a switch regulator. By using 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec‐7‐ene/picric acid as the trigger, the foldamer can be switched between “w”‐shape and helical conformation. Due to the large, half‐open cavity as well as the additional electrostatic repulsion between oxyanions and guest halide, the foldamer in “w”‐shape possesses a much weaker affinity for chloride, bromide, and iodide anions than those in the helical conformation in 6:94 (v/v) [D₆]DMSO/CDCl₃. When the foldamer and chloride ions have the same initial concentrations of 1 mM , 70 % chloride ions in the solution could be reversibly bound or released upon switching.     

Recognition Properties and Self‐assembly of Planar [M(2‐pyridyl‐1,2,3‐triazole)2]2+ Metallo‐ligands

Molecular recognition continues to be an area of keen interest for supramolecular chemists. The investigated [M( L )₂]²⁺ metallo‐ligands (M=Pd^II, Pt^II, L =2‐(1‐(pyridine‐4‐methyl)‐1 H‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)pyridine) form a planar cationic panel with vacant pyridyl binding sites. They interact with planar neutral aromatic guests through π–π and/or metallophilic interactions. In some cases, the metallo‐ligands also interacted in the solid state with Ag^I either through coordination to the pendant pyridyl arms, or through metal–metal interactions, forming coordination polymers. We have therefore developed a system that reliably recognises a planar electron‐rich guest in solution and in the solid state, and shows the potential to link the resultant host–guest adducts into extended solid‐state structures. The facile synthesis and ready functionalisation of 2‐pyridyl‐1,2,3‐triazole ligands through copper(I)‐catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) “click” chemistry should allow for ready tuning of the electronic properties of adducts formed from these systems.     

Oligoamide Foldamers as Helical Chloride Receptors—the Influence of Electron‐Withdrawing Substituents on Anion‐Binding Interactions

The anion‐binding properties of three closely related oligoamide foldamers were studied using NMR spectroscopy, isothermal titration calorimetry and mass spectrometry, as well as DFT calculations. The ¹H NMR spectra of the foldamers in [D₆]acetone solution revealed partial preorganization by intramolecular hydrogen bonding, which creates a suitable cavity for anion binding. The limited size of the cavity, however, enabled efficient binding by the inner amide protons only for the chloride anion resulting in the formation of a thermodynamically stable 1:1 complex. All 1:1 chloride complexes displayed a significant favourable contribution of the entropy term. Most likely, this is due to the release of ordered solvent molecules solvating the free foldamer and the anion to the bulk solution upon complex formation. The introduction of electron‐withdrawing substituents in foldamers 2 and 3 had only a slight effect on the thermodynamic constants for chloride binding compared to the parent receptor. Remarkably, the binding of chloride to foldamer 3 not only produced the expected 1:1 complex but also open aggregates with 1:2 (host:anion) stoichiometry.     

Self‐Assembly and Host–Guest Chemistry of a 3.5‐nm Coordination Nanotube

Upon complexation with Pd^II ions, precisely designed strandlike ligands with two tris(3,5‐pyridine) units at both terminals were assembled, with the aid of a linear template molecule, into a discrete tubular complex with a length of 3.5 nm. The high stability and the well‐defined structure of the coordination nanotube were revealed by NMR spectroscopy, cold‐spray ionization MS, and single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. Guest lengths were discriminated by the tube: When the association of strandlike guest molecules, in which two biphenylene units are linked with an (OCH₂CH₂)_n linker, were compared, the tube selectively recognized an appropriate guest whose length was comparable to that of the tube. Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)‐terminated linear guests were directly oxidized to TTF²⁺ in the tube, but reduced stepwise via TTF^+? outside the tube.     

Self‐assembly of anion‐binding supramolecular cage complexes

Three tetradentate ligands, in which two bidentate pyrazolyl–pyridine binding sites are connected by an aromatic spacer unit, have been used to prepare adamantoid tetrahedral cages of the form [Co₄L₆(X)][X]₇ (where X is a uninegative, noncoordinating counterion such as perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, or hexafluorophosphate). In these complexes an approximately tetrahedral array of metal ions occurs, with a bridging ligand spanning each of the six edges of this tetrahedron; each metal ion is accordingly six coordinate and the cages can have either T or C₃ symmetry, depending on the ligand. The central cavity of each cage is occupied by an anion. In the cases where the anion is a good fit for the central cavity, it is tightly bound (no exchange in solution with external anions) and acts as a template for assembly of the cage, with a mixture of Co(II) and the bridging ligand in the correct proportions not assembling into the Co₄L₆ cage until the templating anion is added. With a longer bridging ligand, the central cavity is too large to encapsulate the anion completely, and accordingly the encapsulated anion can exchange freely with external anions; this behavior can be “frozen out” in the NMR spectra at low temperatures. The host–guest chemistry of the cage complexes is therefore strongly dependent on the size of the central cavity. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 13:567–573, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/hc.10101     

Supramolecular Photoinduced Electron Transfer between a Redox‐Active Hexanuclear Metal–Organic Cylinder and an Encapsulated Ruthenium(II) Complex

By using redox‐active nickel(II) ions as the connect nodes, a hexanuclear metal–organic cylinder (Ni‐YL) was achieved through self‐assembly with a large cavity and an opening windows capable to accommodate guest molecules. The suitable cavity of Ni‐YL provides an opportunity to encapsulate the anionic ruthenium bipyridine derivative [Ru(dcbpy)₃] (dcbpy=2,2′‐bipyridine‐4,4′‐dicarboxylic acid) as the photosensitizer for light‐driven reactions. The host–guest behavior between Ni‐YL and [Ru(dcbpy)₃] was investigated by mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, and computational studies, revealing an effective binding of the guest [Ru(dcbpy)₃] within the cavity of Ni‐YL. Optical experiments suggested a pseudo‐intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process between the [Ru(dcbpy)₃] and the host Ni‐YL, leading to an efficient light‐driven hydrogen production based on this system. Control experiments with a mononuclear Ni complex as a reference photocatalyst and the inactive [Fe(dcbpy)₃] as an inhibitor for comparison were also performed to confirm such a supramolecular photocatalysis process.     

Homo‐Helical Rod Packing as a Path Toward the Highest Density of Guest‐Binding Metal Sites in Metal–Organic Frameworks

In porous materials, metal sites with coordinate solvents offer opportunities for many applications, especially those promoted by host–guest chemistry, but such sites are especially hard to create for Li‐based materials, because unlike transition metals, lithium does not usually possess a high‐enough coordination number for both framework construction and guest binding. This challenge is addressed by mimicking the functional group ratio and metal‐to‐ligand charge ratio in MOF‐74. A family of rod‐packing lithium–organic frameworks (CPM‐47, CPM‐48, and CPM‐49) were obtained. These materials exhibit an extremely high density of guest‐binding lithium sites. Also unusual is the homo‐helical rod‐packing in the CPM series, as compared to the hetero‐helical rod packing by helices of opposite handedness in MOF‐74. This work demonstrates new chemical and structural possibilities in developing a record‐setting high density of guest‐binding metal sites in inorganic–organic porous materials.     

Fluorescent Cross‐Linked Supramolecular Polymer Constructed by Orthogonal Self‐Assembly of Metal–Ligand Coordination and Host–Guest Interaction

A new host molecule consists of four terpyridine groups as the binding sites with zinc(II) ion and a copillar[5]arene incorporated in the center as a spacer to interact with guest molecule was designed and synthesized. Due to the 120 ° angle of the rigid aromatic segment, a cross‐linked dimeric hexagonal supramolecular polymer was therefore generated as the result of the orthogonal self‐assembly of metal–ligand coordination and host–guest interaction. UV/Vis spectroscopy, ¹H NMR spectroscopy, viscosity and dynamic light‐scattering techniques were employed to characterize and understand the cross‐linking process with the introduction of zinc(II) ion and guest molecule. More importantly, well‐defined morphology of the self‐assembled supramolecular structure can be tuned by altering the adding sequence of the two components, that is, the zinc(II) ion and the guest molecule. In addition, introduction of a competitive ligand suggested the dynamic nature of the supramolecular structure.     

Dual‐Functional Semithiobambusurils

Semithiobambusurils, which represent a new family of macrocyclic host molecules, have been prepared by a convenient, scalable synthesis. These new cavitands are double functional: they strongly bind a broad variety of anions in their interiors and metal ions at their sulfur‐edged portals. The solid‐state structure of semithiobambus[4]uril with HgCl₂ demonstrates the ability of these compounds to form linear chains of coordination polymers with thiophillic metal ions. The crystal structure of semithiobambus[6]uril with tetraphenylphosphonium bromide exhibits the unique anion‐binding properties of the host cavity and the characteristics of the binding site.     

Designed Synthesis of a Highly Conjugated Hexaethynylbenzene‐Based Host for Supramolecular Architectures

The construction of efficient synthetic functional receptors with tunable cavities, and the self‐organization of guest molecules within these cavities through noncovalent interactions can be challenging. Here we have prepared a double‐cavity molecular cup based on hexaethynylbenzene that possesses a highly π‐conjugated interior for the binding of electron‐rich guests. X‐ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy, fluorescent spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and SEM were used to investigate the structures and the binding behaviors. The results indicated that the binding of a guest in one cavity would affect the binding of the same or another guest in the other cavity. The effect of electron transfer in this system suggests ample opportunities for tuning the optical and electronic properties of the molecular cup and the encapsulated guest. The encapsulation of different guests would also lead to different aggregate nanostructures, which is a new way to tune their supramolecular architectures.     

Two Histidines in an α‐Helix: A Rigid Co2+‐Binding Motif for PCS Measurements by NMR Spectroscopy

Pseudocontact shifts (PCS) generated by paramagnetic metal ions present valuable long‐range information in the study of protein structural biology by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Faithful interpretation of PCSs, however, requires complete immobilization of the metal ion relative to the protein, which is difficult to achieve with synthetic metal tags. We show that two histidine residues in sequential turns of an α‐helix provide a binding site for a Co²⁺ ion, which positions the metal ion in a uniquely well‐defined and predictable location. Exchange between the bound and free cobalt is slow on the timescale defined by chemical shifts, but the NMR resonance assignments are nonetheless readily transferred from the diamagnetic to the paramagnetic NMR spectrum by an I_zS_z‐exchange experiment. The double‐histidine‐Co²⁺ motif offers a straightforward, inexpensive, and convenient way of generating precision PCSs in proteins.     

Double Naphthalene‐Tagged Cyclodextrin‐Peptide Capable of Exhibiting Guest‐Induced Naphthalene Excimer Fluorescence

A cyclodextrin‐peptide hybrid (17NNβ) bearing two naphthalene units in the peptide side chain has been designed and synthesized as a novel chemosensor molecule. Circular dichroism study of the compound revealed that the peptide has α‐helix structure with a helix content of 41%. The peptide revealed both monomer and excimer emission and the intensity of the excimer emission increased while that of the monomer emission decreased upon addition of the guest compound. This behavior was observed for various guest molecules, suggesting that the system can be used for detecting molecules in aqueous solution.     

A Modular Synthesis of Teraryl‐Based α‐Helix Mimetics,Part 2: Synthesis of 5‐Pyridine Boronic Acid Pinacol Ester Building Blocks with Amino Acid Side Chains in 3‐Position

One of the most common protein–protein interactions (PPI) is the interaction of the α‐helix of one protein with the surface of the second one. Terphenylic scaffolds are bioinspired motifs in the inhibition of PPIs and have been identified as suitable α‐helix mimetics. One of the challenging aspects of this strategy is the poor solubility of terphenyls under physiological conditions. In the literature pyrrolopyrimidine‐, pyrimidine‐ or pyridazine‐based mimetics have been reported to show improved solubility. We present a new convergent strategy for the synthesis of linear pyridine‐type teraryls based on a phenylic core unit. A general approach for the synthesis of 3,5‐disubstituted pyridine‐based boronic acid pinacol esters with amino acid side chains in the 3‐position (representing Phe, Leu, Ile, Lys, Asp, Asn) is presented and exploits the functional group tolerance of the Knochel–Grignard reagents. The building blocks have been used in a convergent in situ two‐step synthesis of teraryl α‐helix mimetics.     

Tuning the Guest‐Binding Ability of a Helically Folded Capsule by In Situ Modification of the Aromatic Oligoamide Backbone

Starting from a previously described aromatic oligoamide helically folded capsule that binds tartaric acid with high affinity and diastereoselectivity, we demonstrate the feasibility of the direct in situ modification of the helix backbone, which results in a conformational change that reduces its affinity for guests by two orders of magnitude. Specifically, ring contraction of the central pyridazine unit into a pyrrole in the full helical sequence was investigated by using electrochemical and chemical processes. The sequence containing the pyrrole was synthesized independently in a convergent manner to ascertain its structure. The conformation of the pyrrolic folded capsule was elucidated in the solid state by X‐ray crystallography and in solution by using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Solution studies revealed an unanticipated solvent‐dependent equilibrium between the anti–anti and syn–syn conformations of the pyrrole ring with respect to its two adjacent pyridine units. Titrations of the pyrrole‐containing sequence monitored by ¹H NMR spectroscopy confirmed the expected drop in affinity for tartaric acid and malic acid that arises from the conformation change in the backbone that follows the replacement of the pyridazine by a pyrrole. The reduction of the pyridazine to a pyrrole was characterized by cyclic voltammetry both on the entire sequence and on a shorter precursor. The lower cathodic potential of the precursor made its preparative‐scale electroreduction possible. Direct in situ modification of the pyridazine within the entire capsule sequence was achieved chemically by using zinc in acetic acid.     

High Degree of Polymerization in a Fullerene‐Containing Supramolecular Polymer

Supramolecular polymers based on dispersion forces typically show lower molecular weights (MW) than those based on hydrogen bonding or metal–ligand coordination. We present the synthesis and self‐assembling properties of a monomer featuring two complementary units, a C₆₀ derivative and an exTTF‐based macrocycle, that interact mainly through π–π, charge‐transfer, and van der Waals interactions. Thanks to the preorganization in the host part, a remarkable log K_a=5.1±0.5 in CHCl₃ at room temperature is determined for the host–guest couple. In accordance with the large binding constant, the monomer self‐assembles in the gas phase, in solution, and in the solid state to form linear supramolecular polymers with a very high degree of polymerization. A MW above 150 kDa has been found experimentally in solution, while in the solid state the monomer forms extraordinarily long, straight, and uniform fibers with lengths reaching several microns.     

Remote Impacts of Methyl Substituents on the Guest‐Binding Ability of Self‐Assembled Cages

We synthesized self‐assembled coordination cages in which 1,10‐phenanthroline derivatives serve as capping ligands. Substituents at the 2,9‐positions of the phenanthroline ligand covered the outside of the cage but had an impact on the guest binding inside the cage. Introduction of methyl groups at the 2,9‐positions allowed the cage to accommodate tetraphenylsilane. Bulky mesityl groups overhanging the cage framework significantly shrunk the cage cavity through π–π interactions with the aromatic panels of the cage. The p‐methyl group of the mesityl substituent was a determinant of the restricted motion of 4,4′‐dimethoxybenzil inside the cage at high temperature. Thus, the presence or absence of one methyl group, which is far from the guest‐binding site, makes a significant difference in the guest species and motions inside the cage.     

Poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(L‐lactide) star block copolymer hydrogels crosslinked by metal–ligand coordination

The aqueous solution behavior and thermoreversible gelation properties of pyridine‐end‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(L ‐lactide) (PEG–(PLLA)₈–py) star block copolymers in the presence of coordinating transition metal ions were studied. In aqueous solutions, the macromonomers self‐assembled into micelles and micellar aggregates at low concentrations and formed physically crosslinked, thermoreversible hydrogels above a critical gel concentration (CGC) of 8% w/v. In the presence of transition metal ions like Cu(II), Co(II), or Mn(II), the aggregate dimensions increased. Above the CGC, the gel–sol transition shifted to higher temperatures due to the formation of additional crosslinks from intermolecular coordination complexes between metal ions and pyridine ligands. Furthermore, as an example, PEG–(PLLA)₈–py hydrogels stabilized by Mn(II)–pyridine coordination complexes were more resistant against degradation/dissolution when placed in phosphate buffered saline at 37 °C when compared with hydrogels prepared in water. Importantly, the stabilizing effect of metal–ligand coordination was noticeable at very low Cu(II) concentrations, which have been reported to be noncytotoxic for fibroblasts in vitro. These novel PEG–(PLLA)₈–py metallo‐hydrogels, which are the first systems to combine metal–ligand coordination with the advantageous properties of PEG–PLLA copolymer hydrogels, are appealing materials that may find use in biomedical as well as environmental applications like the removal of heavy metal ions from waste streams. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012