Monomeric, dimeric and hexameric resorcin[4]arene assemblies with alcohols in apolar solvents.

Resorcin[4]arenes in an apolar solvent containing alcohols exist in three forms of self-assembled aggregates which have been characterised by the technique of diffusion NMR spectroscopy.

Supramolecular chirogenesis in bis-porphyrins: interaction with chiral acids and application for the absolute configuration assignment.

[structure: see text] A new supramolecular chirogenic system on the basis of bis(free base porphyrin) and various enantiopure acids, which can be effectively applied for the chirality sensing purposes, is reported. The temperature and solvent are found to be key factors controlling the chirality transfer process in these assemblies.

Supramolecular chiral recognition by bischlorins: a two-point interaction mode combined with the host's conformational modulation controlled by the guest's stereochemistry and bulkiness.

[reaction: see text] Supramolecular chiral recognition based on two-point host-guest interactions coupled with the different host's conformational response using the enantiopure bischlorin hosts and different antipodal amine guests is reported. The bulkiness at the guest's stereogenic center controls the chiral recognition properties resulting in switching of the enantioselectivity.

Ethane-bridged zinc porphyrin dimers in Langmuir-Shäfer thin films: structural and spectroscopic properties.

This work reports on the structural and spectroscopic properties of ethane-bridged Zn porphyrin dimers (1) in Langmuir-Schäfer (LS) thin films by combining scanning force microscopy (SFM) with film balance, UV-vis absorption, fluorescence, and nanosecond laser flash photolysis measurements. Results show that depending on the surface pressure the Langmuir films of pure 1 can be arranged in two different condensed phases, whereas SFM of the LS films shows characteristic fractal networks constituted by nanoscopic aggregates. The spectral findings agree with a picture in which 1 is apparently present in the anti conformation but aggregated in a sort of H-type structure whose optical features resemble those of the syn conformer. This type of structure is not responsive to light stimuli. By diluting 1 in arachidic acid the porphyrin aggregation is significantly minimized with 1 exhibiting almost exclusively the anti conformation. As a result the LS films become photoresponsive, showing fluorescence emission and triplet-triplet transient absorption.

New insights into the geometry of resorc[4]arenes: solvent-mediated supramolecular conformational and chiroptical control.

The conformations of inherently chiral resorc[4]arenes were studied by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Whereas in aprotic solvents the crown conformation (C4) is preferred, protic solvents favor the boat conformation (C2). As a result of electronic coupling of the lowest L(b) state of the resorcinol unit in the resorc[4]arene, the CD spectra show a strong dependence on the conformation of the macrocycle. For the first time the solvent dependence of the CD spectra was qualitatively analyzed and simulated by using theoretical methods. We have thus demonstrated not only that the conformation of the calixarene is dramatically manipulated by the solvent but also that the joint use of chiroptical measurements and theoretical calculations is a powerful and versatile tool for elucidating structural variations in supramolecular chemistry.

Supramolecular chirogenesis with bis-chlorin versus bis-porphyrin hosts: peculiarities of chirality induction and modulation of optical activity.

[structure: see text] The complexation behavior, chirality induction and inversion in the achiral host, a racemic mixture of ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylchlorin) (1), and optical activity modulation in the chiral hosts, enantiopure 1(R) and 1(S), upon interaction with chiral and achiral amine guests have been investigated by means of the UV-vis, CD, and (1)H NMR techniques and compared with the corresponding spectral data of the bis-porphyrin analogue. It was found that the chirogenesis pathway is strongly dependent upon the structures of both major components (hosts and guests) of these supramolecular systems. Particularly, the distinct orientation of electronic transitions in the chlorin chromophores arisen from the reduced pyrrole ring, which makes it radically different from that of the porphyrin chromophores, and the size of the guest's substituents lead to the remarkable phenomenon of chirality induction-inversion in racemic 1 originating from the process of asymmetry transfer from enantiopure guests of the same homologous type and absolute configuration. This surprising chirogenic behavior is found to be in a sharp contrast to that observed in the analogous porphyrin-based systems. Furthermore, these structural and electronic phenomena also account for the effective optical activity quenching of enantiopure 1(R) and 1(S) upon interaction with chiral and with achiral amines, which results in formation of supramolecular complexes of opposite chirality.

Chiral Bis-chlorin: enantiomer resolution and absolute configuration determination.

[structure: see text] A racemic mixture of the ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylchlorin) was successfully resolved for the first time to yield two enantiomers that exhibit substantial CD signals in the regions of chlorin B and Q transitions. The absolute configuration of the corresponding enantiomers was assigned and the origin of its high optical activity was rationalized through a combined spectral, crystallographic, and theoretical analysis.

Origin, control, and application of supramolecular chirogenesis in bisporphyrin-based systems.

The rationalization of various aspects of the mechanism of chirality induction in supramolecular assemblies based upon the complexes formed between an ethane-linked bisoctaethylporphyrin and chiral ligands is described. The influence of various controlling factors such as bonding strength, host-guest steric interactions, equilibria and thermodynamic parameters, temperature and solvent effects, role of the center metal ion, stoichiometry, and phase transition on the chirality induction processes have been investigated, and the results and implications are discussed. As a result of such detailed understanding, it is possible to employ this bisporphyrin system as an effective chirality sensor for the determination of absolute configuration.

Supramolecular chirogenesis in zinc porphyrins: interaction with bidentate ligands, formation of tweezer structures, and the origin of enhanced optical activity.

The complexation behavior, binding properties, and spectral parameters of supramolecular chirality induction in the achiral host molecule, syn (face-to-face conformation) ethane-bridged bis(zinc porphyrin), upon interaction with chiral bidentate guests (diamines and amino alcohols) have been studied by means of UV-vis, CD, fluorescence, (1)H NMR, and ESI MS techniques. It was found that the guest structure plays a decisive role in the chirogenesis pathway. The majority of bidentate ligands (except those geometrically unsuitable) exhibit two major equilibria steps: the first guest ligation leading to formation of the 1:1 host-guest tweezer structure (K(1)) and the second guest molecule ligation (K(2)) forming the anti bis-ligated species (1:2). The second ligation is much weaker (K(1) >> K(2)) due to the optimal geometry and stability of the 1:1 tweezer complex. The enhanced conformational stability of the tweezer complex ensures an efficient chirality transfer from the chiral guest to the achiral host, consequently inducing a remarkably high optical activity in the bis-porphyrin.

Direct determination of absolute configuration of monoalcohols by bis(magnesium porphyrin).

Ethane bridged bis(Mg porphyrin) has been found to be an effective sensor for the direct determination of the absolute configuration of a variety of monoalcohols at millimolar concentrations and room temperature based on the CD exciton chirality method. Examination of a variety of synthetic and natural monoalcohols, including alpha-substituted aliphatic and aromatic alkanols with one chiral center, as well as alicyclic alcohols with 2-5 chiral centers, gave consistent results. In the case of alcohols with multiple chiral centers, the absolute configuration of the carbon alpha to OH is always read out.

Remarkable stability and enhanced optical activity of a chiral supramolecular bis-porphyrin tweezer in both solution and solid state.

Interaction of the achiral syn (face-to-face) conformer of the ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylporphyrin) with the enantiopure 1,2-diaminocyclohexane results in the exclusive formation of a supramolecular chiral tweezer. This 1:1 host-guest complex exhibits remarkable stability in both solution (even upon photoexcitation) and solid-state phases, with a high degree of optical activity arising from the two-point interaction mode and optimal spatial geometry.

Supramolecular chirogenesis in zinc porphyrins: equilibria, binding properties, and thermodynamics.

Complexation mechanism, binding properties and thermodynamic parameters of supramolecular chirality induction in the achiral host molecule, syn (face-to-face conformation) ethane-bridged bis(zinc porphyrin), upon interaction with chiral monoamine and monoalcohol guests have been studied by means of the UV-vis, CD, (1)H NMR, and ESI MS techniques. It was found that the chirogenesis process includes three major equilibria steps: the first guest ligation to a zinc porphyrin subunit of the host (K(1)), syn to anti conformational switching (K(S)), and further ligation by a second guest molecule to the remaining ligand-free zinc porphyrin subunit (K(2)), thus forming the final bis-ligated species possessing supramolecular chirality. The validity of this equilibria model is confirmed by the excellent match between the calculated and experimentally observed spectral parameters of the bis-ligated species. The second ligation proceeds in a cooperative manner as K(2) > K(1) for all supramolecular systems studied, regardless of the structure of the chiral ligand used. The binding properties are highly dependent on the nature of the functional group (amines are stronger binders than alcohols) and on the structure of the chiral guests (primary and aliphatic amines have overall binding constant values greater than those of secondary and aromatic amines, respectively).

Stoichiometry-controlled supramolecular chirality induction and inversion in bisporphyrin systems.

[reaction: see text] Stoichiometry is found to be an effective tool for controlling supramolecular chirality induction and inversion processes. Chirality induction in the achiral syn ethane-bridged bis(zinc octaethylporphyrin) is achieved upon interaction with the enantiopure (R,R)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine at the low molar excess region, to yield the right-handed chiral 1:1 tweezer complex. Further increase of the ligand concentration results in chirality inversion as the equilibrium shifts toward the extended left-handed 1:2 anti complex as a result of switching of the complex helicity.