Self‐Assembled Tetragonal Prismatic Molecular Cage Highly Selective for Anionic π Guests

The metal‐directed supramolecular synthetic approach has paved the way for the development of functional nanosized molecules. In this work, we report the preparation of the new nanocapsule 3? (CF₃SO₃)₈ with a A₄B₂ tetragonal prismatic geometry, where A corresponds to the dipalladium hexaazamacrocyclic complex Pd‐1 , and B corresponds to the tetraanionic form of palladium 5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin ( 2 ). The large void space of the inner cavity and the supramolecular affinity for guest molecules towards porphyrin‐based hosts converts this nanoscale molecular 3D structure into a good candidate for host–guest chemistry. The interaction between this nanocage and different guest molecules has been studied by means of NMR, UV/Vis, ESI‐MS, and DOSY experiments, from which highly selective molecular recognition has been found for anionic, planar‐shaped π guests with association constants (K_a) higher than 10⁹ M ^?1, in front of non‐interacting aromatic neutral or cationic substrates. DFT theoretical calculations provided insights to further understand this strong interaction. Nanocage 3? (CF₃SO₃)₈ can not only strongly host one single molecule of M(dithiolene)₂ complexes (M=Au, Pt, Pd, and Ni), but also can finely tune their optical and redox properties. The very simple synthesis of both the supramolecular cage and the building blocks represents a step forward for the development of polyfunctional supramolecular nanovessels, which offer multiple applications as sensors or nanoreactors.     

Diels–Alder and Retro‐Diels–Alder Cycloadditions of (1,2,3,4,5‐Pentamethyl)cyclopentadiene to La@C2v‐C82: Regioselectivity and Product Stability

One of the most important reactions in fullerene chemistry is the Diels–Alder (DA) reaction. In two previous experimental studies, the DA cycloaddition reactions of cyclopentadiene (Cp) and 1,2,3,4,5‐pentamethylcyclopentadiene (Cp*) with La@C_2v‐C₈₂ were investigated. The attack of Cp was proposed to occur on bond 19 , whereas that of Cp* was confirmed by X‐ray analysis to be over bond o . Moreover, the stabilities of the Cp and Cp* adducts were found to be significantly different, that is, the decomposition of La@C_2v‐C₈₂Cp was one order of magnitude faster than that of La@C_2v‐C₈₂Cp*. Herein, we computationally analyze these DA cycloadditions with two main goals: First, to compute the thermodynamics and kinetics of the cycloadditions of Cp and Cp* to different bonds of La@C_2v‐C₈₂ to assess and compare the regioselectivity of these two reactions. Second, to understand the origin of the different thermal stabilities of the La@C₈₂Cp and La@C₈₂Cp* adducts. Our results show that the regioselectivity of the two DA cycloadditions is the same, with preferred attack on bond o . This result corrects the previous assumption of the regioselectivity of the Cp attack that was made based only on the shape of the La@C₈₂ singly occupied molecular orbital. In addition, we show that the higher stability of the La@C₈₂Cp* adduct is not due to the electronic effects of the methyl groups on the Cp ring, as previously suggested, but to higher long‐range dispersion interactions in the Cp* case, which enhance the stabilization of the reactant complex, transition state, and products with respect to the separated reactants. This stabilization for the La@C₈₂Cp* case decreases the Gibbs reaction energy, thus allowing competition between the direct and retro reactions and making dissociation more difficult.     

Enzymatic desaturation of fatty acids: delta11 desaturase activity on cyclopropane acid probes

The formation of methylenecyclopropanes by enzymatic desaturation of 11-cyclopropylundecanoic acid (1) and its disubstituted derivatives cis- and trans-3-5 has been investigated using the Delta(11) desaturase of Spodoptera littoralis as model enzyme. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry analyses of methanolyzed lipidic extracts from tissues incubated with each probe revealed that all the cyclopropyl fatty acids were transformed into the corresponding 11-cyclopropylidene acids, except for compound trans-5 (5b), which was not desaturated at C11. The formation of methylenecyclopropane 9 as the only reaction product from 1 indicates that a potential radical intermediate is too short-lived to allow rearrangement reactions. Information on the Delta(11) desaturase substrate binding domain is provided considering the cyclopropyl probes 3-5 as conformationally restricted analogues of the straight-chain substrates.     

Modular amino alcohol ligands containing bulky alkyl groups as chiral controllers for Et2Zn addition to aldehydes: illustration of a design principle

A new family of enantiomerically pure (1S,2R)-1-alkyl-2-(dialkylamino)-3-(R-oxy)-1-propanols containing a very bulky alkyl substituent (tert-butyl or 1-adamantyl) on their hydrocarbon chains has been synthesized from the corresponding enantiopure epoxy alcohols, arising from the catalytic Sharpless epoxidation, by protection of the primary hydroxy group and subsequent regioselective ring opening of the epoxide by a secondary cyclic amine (C-2 attack). The performance of these amino alcohols as ligands for the catalytic enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to benzaldehyde has been studied, with enantioselectivities of 92-96% being recorded. The best performing ligands, those with a bulky R-oxy group, also depict a convenient activity and selectivity profile in the addition of Et(2)Zn to a representative family of aldehydes. An anomalous structure/enantioselectivity relationship of some ligands in the tert-butyl series has been studied using PM3 calculations, and conclusions have been drawn on the possible effects of including in modular designs structural fragments giving rise to a variety of rotameric transition states.     

Solid-state supramolecular organization, established directly from powder diffraction data, and photoluminescence efficiency of rigid-core oligothiophene-S,S-dioxides

The "rigid-core" material 3,5-dimethyl-2,3'-bis(3-methylthiophene)-dithieno[3,2-b:',3'-d]thiophene-4,4-dioxide (DTTOMe4) has the highest photoluminescence ever reported for thiophene-based molecules in the solid state. We report the structure of this material, determined directly from powder X-ray diffraction data using the Genetic Algorithm method for structure solution, followed by Rietveld refinement, and the structural properties are discussed in relation to the structures of the corresponding subsystems DTTO and DTTOMe. While the crystal structures of the latter compounds contain cofacial dimers, the crystal structure of DTTOMe4 comprises layers of molecules aligned in an antiparallel fashion. Intermediate neglect of differential overlap with single configuration interaction (INDO/SCI) calculations on the intermolecular interactions in the three crystal structures show that the different solid-state photoluminescence efficiencies of DTTOMe4, DTTOMe, and DTTO cannot be correlated with the different types of dipole-dipole alignment in the solid state. Instead, photoluminescence efficiencies correlate well with the rate of formation of nonradiatively decaying charge-transfer pairs upon photoexcitation. Because of larger intermolecular distances in DTTOMe4, the photoluminescence is less effectively quenched by charge-transfer processes than in DTTOMe and DTTO.     

Traceless solid-phase synthesis of 2,4,6-chlorodiamino and triaminopyrimidines

An effective traceless solid-phase synthesis of chloro-diaminopyrimidines via an amino-de-chlorination reaction of polymer-bound 4-alkoxycarbonylamino-2,6-dichloropyrimidines has been developed. After release from the polymer the target molecules were obtained in good to excellent purity, although with modest regiocontrol. Further reaction of solid-supported N-alkoxycarbonyl-chloro-diaminopyrimidines with secondary amines afforded triaminopyrimidines in good purity under mild conditions, whereas less nucleophilic primary amines did not perform well under the conditions explored so far.     

Mechanochemical preparation of hydrogen-bonded adducts between the diamine 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane and dicarboxylic acids of variable chain length: an X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR study

Mechanical mixing of solid dicarboxylic acids of variable chain length HOOC(CH(2))(n)COOH (n = 1-7) with solid 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane generates the corresponding salts or co-crystals of the formula [N(CH(2)CH(2))(3)N]-H-[OOC(CH(2))(n)COOH] (n=1-7). Preparation of the same systems from solution has been instrumental for a full characterization of the mechanochemical products by means of single-crystal and powder-diffraction X-ray analyses, as well as by solid-state NMR. The acid-base adducts, whether involving proton transfer from the COOH group to the N-acceptor, that is having ((-))O...H-N((+)) interactions, or the formation of neutral O-H...N hydrogen bonds, show a melting point alternation phenomenon analogous to that shown by the neutral carboxylic acids. The carbon chemical shift tensors of the COOH group obtained from the sideband intensity of low speed spinning NMR spectra provide a reliable criterion for assigning the protonation state of the adducts.     

Rigid optically-active D2 and D3 macrocycles

The synthesis and characterization of novel optically-active macrocycles, obtained by esterification reaction from a binaphthyl-containing diol and phthalic or terephthalic acids, and possessing overall D2 or D3 symmetry, is described.