Substituted 1,3,5-Triazine Hexacarboxylates as Potential Linkers for MOFs.

Hexacarboxylates are promising linkers for MOFs such as NU-109 or NU-110, which possess large values for surfaces and pore volumina. Starting from 2,4,6-tris(bromoaryl)-1,3,5-triazines, palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions (Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira-Hagihara) form elongated hexacarboxylate linkers. Eight new 2,4,6-tris(biphenyl) and 2,4,6-tris(phenylethynylphenyl) 1,3,5-triazines have been prepared in quantities ranging from 40 mg to 1.1 g. In five cases, one of the arms of the linker carries an additional functionality (NO2 or OMe).

Mechanochemical Cycloreversion of Cyclobutane Observed at the Single Molecule Level.

Mechanochemical cycloreversion of cyclobutane is known from ultrasound experiments. It is, however, not clear which forces are required to induce the cycloreversion. In atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments, on the other hand, it is notoriously difficult to assign the ruptured bond. We have solved this problem through the synthesis of tailored macrocycles, in which the cyclobutane mechanophore is bypassed by an ethylene glycol chain of specific length. This macrocycle is covalently anchored between a glass substrate and an AFM cantilever by polyethylene glycol linkers. Upon mechanical stretching of the macrocycle, cycloreversion occurs, which is identified by a defined length increase of the stretched polymer. The measured length change agrees with the value calculated with the external force explicitly included (EFEI) method. By using two different lengths for the ethylene glycol safety line, the assignment becomes unambiguous. Mechanochemical cycloreversion of cyclobutane is observed at forces above 1.7 nN.

Elongated and substituted triazine-based tricarboxylic acid linkers for MOFs.

New triazine-based tricarboxylic acid linkers were prepared as elongated relatives of triazinetribenzoic acid (TATB). Additionally, functional groups (NO2, NH2, OMe, OH) were introduced for potential post-synthetic modification (PSM) of MOFs. Functionalized tris(4-bromoaryl)triazine "cores" (3a,3b) were obtained by unsymmetric trimerization mixing one equivalent of an acid chloride (OMe or NO2 substituted) with two equivalents of an unsubstituted nitrile. Triple Suzuki coupling of the cores 3 with suitable phenyl- and biphenylboronic acid derivatives provided elongated tricarboxylic acid linkers as carboxylic acids 17 and 20 or their esters 16 and 19. Reduction of the nitro group and cleavage of the methoxy group gave the respective amino and hydroxy-substituted triazine linkers.

Pinpointing mechanochemical bond rupture by embedding the mechanophore into a macrocycle.

Mechanophores contain a mechanically labile bond that can be broken by an external mechanical force. Quantitative measurement and control of the applied force is possible through atomic force microscopy (AFM). A macrocycle was synthesized that contains both the mechanophore and an aliphatic chain that acts as a "safety line" upon bond breaking. This ring-opening mechanophore unit is linked to poly(ethylene glycol) spacers, which allow investigation by single molecule force spectroscopy. The length increase upon rupture of the mechanophore was measured and compared with quantum chemical calculations.

Macrocycle synthesis by trimerization of boronic acids around a hexaol template, and recognition of polyols by resulting macrocyclic oligoboronic acids.

2,6-Bis(alkenyloxy) substituted arylboronic acids can be cyclotrimerized with the help of a hexaol as a template. First, the boronic acids are assembled by boronic ester formation with hexahydroxy-bicyclo[2.2.2]octane. Next, the resulting triboronates are cyclized by ring-closing metathesis to yield trimacrocycles as diastereomeric E/Z mixtures. Catalytic hydrogenation yields a single saturated trimacrocycle. Cleavage of the boronic ester functions liberates the template and generates a macrocycle with three boronic acid functionalities in endo-orientation. Due to this preorganization, macrocycles with boronic acids in endo-positions are good receptors for polyols. The binding of carbohydrates such as fructose was compared with the uptake of the respective templates into macrocycles with two or three boronic acids in endo-orientation.

Second-generation supramolecular dendrimer with a defined structure due to orthogonal binding.

A second-generation supramolecular dendrimer has been prepared by orthogonal multiple hydrogen bonding. In the first (inner) recognition domain, the interaction of one bis-isocyanuric acid (25) with two branching units (21) that carry complementary Hamilton receptors has been exploited. In the second (outer) generation, the two ADDA (A=hydrogen-bond acceptor, D=donor) receptors of each branching unit (21) have bound complementary DAAD units (4). The problem of limited solubility of the building blocks has been overcome by the introduction of branched ethylhexyl residues and by the use of flexible alkylene or oligo(ethylene glycol) linking chains. The orthogonal binding of the two hydrogen-bonding pairs was elucidated by chemical induced shift NMR titrations, which proved that the two pairs, isocyanuric acid with the Hamilton receptor and ADDA with DAAD, bind preferentially. The formation of the supramolecular self-assembled 1:2:4 dendrimer with a molecular weight of 5065 g mol(-1) was investigated by diffusion NMR spectroscopy.

Dynamic combinatorial libraries for the recognition of heavy metal ions.

We present the use of hydrazone dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs) to identify macrocyclic receptors that are selective for alkaline earth metal ions over alkali metal ions. In particular, the toxic heavy metal ions Sr(2+) and Ba(2+) induce characteristic changes in the DCLs. Four macrocycles were isolated and characterised by LCMS, HRMS, NMR and X-ray crystallography; binding studies by UV-Vis spectroscopy confirm the selectivity observed in the DCLs.

Binding of group 15 and group 16 oxides by a concave host containing an isophthalamide unit.

A bi-macrocycle with an incorporated isophthalamide substructure was synthesized by double amide formation between an isophthaloyl dichloride and two equivalents of a bis(alkenyloxy)aniline, followed by ring-closing metathesis and hydrogenation. In contrast to many related isophthalamides, the concave host exhibits a better binding for oxides, such as DMSO or pyridine-N-oxide, than for halide anions. A general method for a quick estimation of the strength of binding derived from only a few data points is presented and gives an estimated K(ass) of pyridine-N-oxide of ca. 40 M(-1), NMR titration confirms 25 M(-1).

Synthesis and crystal structure of allyl 7-(di-ethyl-amino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C17H19NO4, was synthesized by the reaction of 7-(di-ethyl-amino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene-3-carb-oxy-lic acid with allyl bromide and purified by flash column chromatography on silica gel. Crystals suitable for single-crystal X-ray diffraction were obtained by recrystallization from acetone. The aromatic core of the mol-ecule is not planar with the di-ethyl-amino group and with the carboxyl group that are rotated out of the 2-oxo-2H-chromene plane by 6.7 (2)° and 11.4 (2)°. The NC2 unit of the di-ethyl-amino group is planar with an angle sum close to 360°. Inter-molecular Car-H⋯Ocarbon-yl inter-actions lead to the formation of chains parallel to the b axis. X-ray powder diffraction analysis proves that the title compound was obtained as a pure phase.

Transport of calcium ions through a bulk membrane by use of a dynamic combinatorial library.

In a bulk membrane transport experiment, a dynamic combinatorial library (DCL) has been used to transport calcium ions; the calcium ions amplify the formation of a macrocyclic carrier which results in transport.

Organocatalysis by bimacrocyclic NHCs: unexpected formation of a cyclic hemiacetal instead of a gamma-butyrolactone.

Two bimacrocyclic imidazolinium salts of different size, precursors to respective NHCs (N-heterocyclic carbenes), were tested as precatalysts in the reaction of aromatic aldehydes or ketones with enals. The expected lactones were produced in most cases, but in the reaction of methyl 4-formylbenzoate with cinnamaldehyde, the larger bimacrocycle led to the formation of a cyclic hemiacetal, while the smaller bimacrocycle gave the anticipated lactone.

Supramolecular clusters between carbohydrates and concave pyridines. Detection in the gas phase by resonance-enhanced multi-photon ionization reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

For the first time the formation of supramolecular clusters between concave pyridines and different carbohydrates could be observed in the gas phase. The different clusters have been investigated by means of laser desorption into a supersonic beam followed by resonant multi photon excitation yielding mass spectra with high intensity of the different cluster. These preliminary results open a way for the investigations of the hydrogen bonds in these compounds.

Multiple hydrogen bonds. Mass spectra of hydrogen bonded heterodimers. A comparison of ESI- and REMPI-ReTOF-MS.

Resonance enhanced multi-photon ionization-reflectron time of flight mass spectrometry is the analytical method of choice to observe hydrogen bonded supramolecules in the gas phase when protonation of basic centers competes with cluster formation.

Sulfonyl chlorides as an efficient tool for the postsynthetic modification of Cr-MIL-101-SO3H and CAU-1-NH2.

Postsynthetic modification can be used to introduce sulfonamide functionalities into MOF frameworks. Using sulfonyl chlorides as reactive intermediates, Cr-MIL-SO3H and CAU-1-NH2 have been further modified to give hitherto unknown functionalized MOFs in which a sulfonamide group is bound to the framework either by its N or its S atom.

Metal induced folding: synthesis and conformational analysis of the lanthanide complexes of two 44-membered hydrazone macrocycles.

Six new lanthanide complexes of two 44-membered macrocycles have been prepared and characterised in solution. An analysis of the conformations of the free macrocycles and their lanthanide complexes both in solution (2D NMR) and in solid state (X-ray crystallography) demonstrate that the complexation induces changes in folding of the macrocycles.

A remarkably flexible and selective receptor for Ba2+ amplified from a hydrazone dynamic combinatorial library.

A new [2+2] tetra-hydrazone macrocyclic receptor was significantly amplified in a dynamic combinatorial library upon templation with alkaline earth metal ions. After optimisation the product could be isolated in 95% yield and its interaction with ions was investigated by NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

How to synthesize macrocycles efficiently by using virtual combinatorial libraries.

The selection of different diimines 4 a-c by alkaline earth ions from a virtual combinatorial library (VCL) is described. The products were stabilized by reduction to the diamines 6 a-c; this allowed easy analysis. The library can be directed toward different target molecules 6 a-c upon addition of alkaline earth ions with different radii. Competition experiments show the possibility of synthesizing the macrocycles 6 a, 6 b, and 6 c simultaneously when using Mg(2+), Ca(2+), and Ba(2+) as template ions. The scope of this thermodynamically controlled, reversible approach for macrocycle syntheses is illustrated.