Cover Picture: Trimeric Perfluoro‐ortho‐phenylenemercury: A Versatile Lewis Acidic Host (Chem. Eur. J. 21/2003)

The cover picture shows how trimeric perfluoro‐ortho‐phenylene mercury (center), one of the simplest trifunctional Lewis acidic hosts, interacts with organic molecules to afford various adducts. The planarity of this trinuclear complex as well as its overall polarizability compounded with relativistic effects at mercury permits the occurrence of noncovalent interactions and accounts for the tendency of this compound to form cofacial dimers as observed in the structure of the acetone adduct (top left). With a triply coordinated acetone molecule, the structure of this adduct also substantiates the cooperative effects that arise from the proximity and accessibility of the mercury centers. The complexation of arenes, such as benzene (bottom left) and naphthalene (bottom right), also occurs and leads to the formation of binary stacks in which the arene establishes multiple linkages with the mercury centers of the trifunctional Lewis acids. In addition to displaying unusual coordination environment, the arene units present in those stacks exhibit remarkable phosphorescent properties. For more details, see the paper by F. P. Gabbaï, R. E. Taylor, and M. R. Haneline on p. 5188 ff.     

Design and self-assembly of ditopic and tetratopic cavitand complexes

The self-assembly of open ditopic and tetratopic cavitand complexes has been investigated by using monofunctionalized cavitand ligands and suitable metal precursors. In the case of ditopic complexes, self-assembly protocols, leading exclusively to the formation of both thermodynamically stable cis-Pt square-planar complexes 8 and 9 and the kinetically inert fac-Re octahedral complex 14, have been elaborated. The use of cis-[Pt(CH3)CN)2Cl2] as metal precursor led to the formation of monotopic trans-10 and ditopic trans-11 cavitand complexes, while cis-[Pt(dmso)2Cl2] afforded both cis-13 and trans-11 isomers. The self-assembly of tetratopic cavitand complexes has been achieved by using mononuclear [Pd(CH3CN)4(BF4)2] and dinuclear [M2(tppb)(OTf)4] (19: M = Pt; 20: M = Pd) metal precursors. Only the tetratopic dinuclear complexes 21 and 22 were stable. The ligand configuration with two phosphorus and two cavitand ligands at the metal centers is the most appropriate to build tetratopic cavitand complexes with sufficient kinetic stability.     

Dynamic covalent approach to [2]- and [3]roxtanes by utilizing a reversible thiol-disulfide interchange reaction

A dynamic covalent approach to disulfide-containing [2]- and [3]rotaxanes is described. Symmetrical dumbbell-shaped compounds with two secondary ammonium centers and a central located disulfide bond were synthesized as components of rotaxanes. The rotaxanes were synthesized from the dumbbell-shaped compounds and dibenzo-[24]crown-8 (DB24C8) with catalysis by benzenethiol. The yields of isolated rotaxanes reached about 90 % under optimized conditions. A kinetic study on the reaction forming [2]rotaxane 2 a and [3]rotaxane 3 a suggested a plausible reaction mechanism comprising several steps, including 1) initiation, 2) [2]rotaxane formation, and 3) [3]rotaxane formation. The whole reaction was found to be reversible in the presence of thiols, and thermodynamic control over product distribution was thus possible by varying the temperature, solvent, initial ratio of substrates, and concentration. The steric bulk of the end-capping groups had almost no influence on rotaxane yields, but the structure of the thiol was crucial for reaction rates. Amines and phosphines were also effective as catalysts. The structural characterization of the rotaxanes included an X-ray crystallographic study on [3]rotaxane 3 a.     

Crystal structure and single crystal EPR of (NH_4)_2(15-crown-5)_3[Cu(mnt)_2] and (NH_4)_2(benzo-15-crown-5)_4[Cu(mnt)_2]·0.5H_2O

The X-ray crystal structures of (NH4)2(15-crown-5)3[Cu(mnt)2] (1) and (NH4)2(benzo-15-crown-5)4- [Cu(mnt)2]·0.5H2O (2) were determined. Two single crystals are composed of distinct structures of ammonium-crown ether supramolecular cation and [Cu(mnt)2]2? anion. The triple-decker dication in complex 1 and a sandwich dimmer in complex 2 were observed. X-Band EPR studies on the single crystals of both complex 1 and complex 2 have been carried out at room temperature, which revealed that complex 2 showed a perfect hyperfine structure of Cu whereas that of complex 1 could not be observed. The principal values and direction cosines of the principal axes of the g and A tensors were computed by a least-squares fitting procedure. The spin density of Cu(II) was estimated according to the principal values of the A tensors and compared well with the results calculated based on DFT method.     

Thermotropic Liquid Crystals Formed by Intermolecular Hydrogen Bonding Interactions

The role of hydrogen bonding in the formation or stabilization of liquid crystalline phases has only recently been appreciated. Following the first, wellestablished examples of liquid crystal formation from the dimerization of aromatic carboxylic acids, through hydrogen bonding, several classes of compounds have recently been synthesized, the liquid crystalline behavior of which is also dependent on intermolecular hydrogen bonds between similar or dissimilar molecules. In this review the main classes of compounds exhibiting liquid crystallinity due to hydrogen bonding are presented to show the diversity of organic compounds that can be used as building elements in liquid crystals. The molecules are either of the rigid-rod anisotropic or amphiphilic types such as molecules appropriately functionalized with pyridyl and carboxyl groups, whose interaction leads to the formation of liquid crystals; amphiphilic carbohydrates and amphiphilic and bolaamphiphilic compounds with multiple hydroxyl groups whose dimerization or association is indispensable for the formation of liquid crystals; and certain amphiphilic carboxylic acids with monomeric or polymeric mesogens and amphiphilic-type compounds bearing different moieties, whose interaction may lead to the formation of mesomorphic compounds. Associated with the macroscopic display of liquid crystalline phases is the supramolecular structure, and therefore rather extended discussion of these structures are included in this review.     

Syntheses and crystal structures of supramolecular compounds of tetranuclear ZrIV and HfIV aqua hydroxo complexes with macrocyclic cavitand cucurbituril

Slow evaporation of hydrochloric acid solutions of zirconium(iv) or hafnium(iv) oxochlorides and cucurbituril in air afforded compounds with composition [M₄(OH)₈(H₂O)₁₆]Cl₈·(C₃₆H₃₆N₂₄O₁₂)·16H₂O, where M = Zr (1) or Hf (2). According to the X-ray diffraction data, complexes 1 and 2 are isostructural. Their crystal structures can be described as packings of polymer chains consisting of alternating cucurbituril molecules and tetranuclear cations [M₄(OH)₈(H₂O)₁₆]⁸⁺ linked to each other via an extensive network of hydrogen bonds. Compound 2 is the first structurally characterized tetranuclear hafnium aqua complex.     

Multistate/multifunctional behaviour of 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium: a write-lock/read/unlock/enable-erase/erase cycle driven by light and pH stimulation

We have investigated the network of reactions observed for the photochromic 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium compound in aqueous solutions upon pH changes (including pH jump and stopped flow experiments) and light excitation. The changes observed in the NMR and UV/Vis spectra allowed identification of ten different forms in which this compound can be transformed depending on the experimental conditions. Equilibrium and kinetic constants have been determined. Compared with other members of the flavylium family, 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium is characterized by a large cis-->trans isomerization barrier, and a very efficient hydration reaction. These peculiar features allow writing, reading, storing and erasing photonic information on 4'-hydroxy-6-nitroflavylium by a novel cyclic process that involves the following steps: write-lock/read/unlock/enable-erase/erase.     

Dynamic chirality: keen selection in the face of stereochemical diversity in mechanically bonded compounds

The template-directed syntheses, employing bisparaphenylene-[34]crown-10 (BPP34C10), 1,5-dinaphthoparaphenylene-[36]crown-10 (1/5NPPP36C10), and 1,5-dinaphtho-[38]crown-10 (1/5DNP38C10) as templates, of three [2]catenanes, whereby one of the two bipyridinium units in cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) is replaced by a bipicolinium unit, are described. The crude reaction mixtures comprising the [2]catenanes all contain slightly more of the homologous [3]catenanes, wherein a "dimeric" octacationic cyclophane has the crown ether macrocycles encircling the alternating bipyridinium units with the bipicolinium units completely unfettered. X-ray crystallography, performed on all three [2]catenanes and two of the three [3]catenanes reveals co-conformational and stereochemical preferences that are stark and pronounced. Both the [3]catenanes crystallize as mixtures of diastereoisomers on account of the axial chirality associated with the picolinium units in the solid state. Dynamic (1)H NMR spectroscopy is employed to probe in solution the relative energy barriers for rotations by the phenylene and pyridinium rings in the tetracationic cyclophane component of the [2]catenanes. Where there are co-conformational changes that are stereochemically "allowed", crown ether circumrotation and rocking processes are also investigated for the relative rates of their occurrence. The outcome is one whereby the three [2]catenanes containing BPP34C10, 1/5NPPP36C10, and 1/5DNP38C10 exist as one major enantiomeric pair of diastereoisomers amongst two, four, and eight diastereoisomeric pairs of enantiomers, respectively. The diastereoisomerism is a consequence of the presence of axial chirality together with helical and/or planar chirality in the same interlocked molecule. These [2]catenanes constitute a rich reserve of new stereochemical types that might be tapped for their switching and mechanical properties.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of a coordination polymer of silver(I) with saccharinate and nicotinamide

A silver(I)-saccharinato (sac) complex with nicotinamide (nia), [Ag(sac)(nia)] _n has been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, DTA-TG analyses and single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The complex crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2₁/n with unit cell parameters of a=7.0258(4) Å, b=24.3784(10) Å, c=8.4301(5) Å, β=109.407(5)°, V=1361.85(13) ų and Z=4. [Ag(sac)(nia)] _n contains [Ag(sac)(nia)] units, which are doubly bridged by both nia and sac ligands, leading to a linear one-dimensional polymeric chains running along the a axis. The silver(I) ion has a highly distorted AgN₂O₂ tetrahedral geometry and the coordination polymer exhibits relatively short intra-chain ligand supported Ag···Ag separations of 3.1593(4) Å. The one-dimensional chains are crosslinked by N–H···O hydrogen bonds and aromatic π(sac)···π(nia) stacking interactions to generate a two-dimensional layer structure. IR spectra and thermal analysis data are in agreement with the crystal structure.