Molecular Recognition of Anionic Substrates. Crystal Structures of the Supramolecular Inclusion Complexes of Terephthalate and Isophthalate Dianions with a Bis-intercaland Receptor Molecule

Molecular recognition of flat substrates requires the design of receptor molecules containing complementary flat units. If two such units are incorporated into a macrocyclic framework, a face to face inclusion of a planar substrate may take place, leading to an intercalative supramolecular structure. The water-soluble macrocyclic bis-intercaland receptor 1.4H+, containing two naphthalene subunits, linked by two positively charged oxy-bis- ethylamine binding sites, is able to bind strongly flat organic anions. The crystal structures of the terephthalate 2 and isophthalate 3 inclusion complexes are reported here. Complex 2, triclinic, P-1(N°), a = 7.717(3), b = 10.625(6), c = 16.238(9) Å, = 99.00(7), = 99.70(6), = 109.46(4)°, Z = 1. Complex 3, triclinic, P1 (N°1), a = 7.513(10), b = 10.640(9), c = 16.164(10) Å, = 98.81(5), = 99.77(10), = 109.36(12)°, Z = 1. Comparison of the environment (water molecules, anions and macrocycle) in the two X-ray structures highlights the formation of a similar organized assembly with the two different substrates.     

Crystal and molecular structure and properties of [Ni(4-NH2Py)2(iso-Bu2PS2)2] and [Co(4-NH2Py)(iso-Bu2PS2)2]

The interaction of the Co(iso-Bu₂PS₂)₂ chelate with 4-NH₂Py afforded a paramagnetic complex [Co(4-NH₂Py)(iso-Bu₂PS₂)₂] (μ_eff = 4.53 BM). Single crystals of [Ni(4-NH₂Py)₂(iso-Bu₂PS₂)₂] (I) and [Co(4-NH₂Py)(iso-Bu₂PS₂)₂] (II) were grown and used for X-ray diffraction investigation (X8 APEX diffractometer, MoK _α radiation). Crystals I are monoclinic with unit cell parameters a = 12.5336(5) Å, b = 9.4356(4) Å, c = 16.4095(6) Å; β = 111.351(1)°; V = 1807.4(1) ų; Z = 2, ρ = 1.223 g/cm³, space group P2₁/n. Crystals II are triclinic with unit cell parameters a = 8.7572(4) Å, b = 9.6934(6) Å, c = 18.665(1) Å; α = 79.374(2)°, β = 87.049(2)°, γ = 75.640(2)°; V = 1508.6(1) ų; Z = 2, ρ = 1.259 g/cm³; space group . The structures of I and II are formed by isolated mononuclear molecules. The coordination unit is NiN₂S₄ (octahedron) in I and CoNS₄ (tetragonal pyramid) in II. The 4-NH₂Py molecule is coordinated through the N atom of the heterocycle. Electronic spectroscopy data for II agree with the symmetry of the NS₄ polyhedron found by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The noncoordinated amine groups link the complex molecules via N-H...S hydrogen bonds. __________ Translated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 46, No. 6, pp.1072–1080, November–December, 2005. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2005 by T. E. Kokina, L. A. Glinskaya, E. A. Sankova, R. F. Klevtsova, and S. V. Larionov     

Structural and spectroscopic features of proton hydrates in the crystalline state. Solid-state DFT study on HCl and triflic acid hydrates

Crystalline HCl and CF₃SO₃H hydrates serve as excellent model systems for protonated water and perfluorosulphonic acid membranes, respectively. They contain characteristic H₃O⁺, H₅О⁺₂, H₇О⁺₃ and H₃O⁺(H₂O)₃ (the Eigen cation) structures. The properties of these cations in the crystalline hydrates of strong monobasic acids are studied by solid-state density function theory (DFT). Simultaneous consideration of the HCl and CF₃SO₃H hydrates reveals the impact of the size of a counter ion and the crystalline environment on the structure and infrared active bands of the simplest proton hydrates. The H₇O⁺₃ structure is very sensitive to the size of the counter ion and symmetry of the local environment. This makes it virtually impossible to identify the specific features of H₇O⁺₃ in molecular crystals. The H₃O⁺ ion can be treated as the Eigen-like cation in the crystalline state. Structural, infrared and electron-density features of H₅О⁺₂ and the Eigen cation are virtually insensitive to the size of the counter ion and the symmetry of the local crystalline environment. These cations can be considered as the simplest stable proton hydrates in the condensed phase. Finally, the influence of the Grimme correction on the structure and harmonic frequencies of the molecular crystals with short (strong) intermolecular O–H···O bonds is discussed.     

Synthesis, structure, magnetic and spectroscopic properties of chromium(III) complex with quinoline-2-carboxylate ion

The new complex of chromium (III) with quinoline-2-carboxylate ion, [Cr(quin-2-c)₂ClMeOH]·MeOH (1), has been synthesized and its structure has been established by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The spectroscopic (IR, UV-Vis) and magnetic study have been undertaken. The chromium ion is coordinated by ClN₂O₃ donor set of pseudoctahedral geometry. The structure of 1 consists of hydrogen-bonded dimers which are further connected by weaker C-H?O bonds and C-H?Cl interactions into the layers. The layers are held together by the aromatic π?π contacts. The electronic experimental energies of d-d transitions are comparable with values calculated for crystal field parameters Dq = 1669, Ds = 705, and B = 684 cm⁻¹. The splitting of the d-d bands was observed by applying the filtration process. Magnetization measurements revealed the occurrence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions together with zero field splitting effects. The appearance of magnetic exchange between distant Cr(III) ions (Cr?Cr separation >6 Å) was ascribed to hydrogen bond extension of carboxylate ligands.     

Theoretical studies of the proton transfer behaviors in molecular complexes analogous to catalytic triad of serine protease: Toward understanding the existence and significance of the low-barrier hydrogen-bond in enzymatic catalysis

A representative acetate-(5-methylimidazole)-methanol system has been employed as a model of catalytic triad in serine protease to validate the formation processes of low-barrier H-bonds (LBHB) at the B3LYP/6-311++G** level of theory, and variable H-bonding characters from conventional ones to LBHBs have been represented along with the proceedings of proton transfer. Solvent effect is an important factor in modulation of the existence of an LBHB, where an LBHB (or a conventional H-bond) in the gas phase can be changed into a non-LBHB (an LBHB) upon solvation. The origin of the additional stabilization energy arising from the LBHB may be attributed to the H-bonding energy difference before and after proton transfer because the shared proton can freely move between the proton donor and proton acceptor. Most importantly, the order of magnitude of the stabilization energy depends on the studied systems. Furthermore, the nonexistence of LBHBs in the catalytic triad of serine proteases has been verified in a more sophisticated model treated using the ONIOM method. As a result, only the single proton transfer mechanism in the catalytic triad has been confirmed and the origin of the powerful catalytic efficiency of serine proteases should be attributed to other factors rather than the LBHB. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 20633060 & 20573063), the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (Grant No. Y2007B23), the Scientific Research Foundation of Qufu Normal University (Grant Nos. Bsqd2007003 and Bsqd2007008), and the State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces (Xiamen University)