Maija Nissinen

Self-assembling resorcinarene capsules: solid and gas phase studies on encapsulation of small alkyl ammonium cations

The self-assembling process of unsubstituted resorcinarenes (1, 2 and 3) to dimeric capsules encapsulating small tetra-alkyl ammonium cations 4–7 has been studied in solid and gaseous states by X-ray crystallographic and mass spectrometric methods. Hydrogen bonding and cation-π interaction as well as the proper encapsulation in the empty cavity of the capsule appear to be the most important interactions in the capsule formation process. Competitive mass spectrometric studies clearly indicated preference of the tetramethyl ammonium cation (4) over tetraethyl ammonium cation (6) and especially tetrabutyl ammonium cation (7). The crystal structures of altogether eight dimeric capsules of resorcinarenes 1–3 with cations 4 and 5 were determined. In the solid state, the alkyl chain length of the host affects the crystal packing significantly. However, ethyl resorcinarene (2) is the only host, which binds the spherical halide anion (Cl− or Br−) in between the lower rim alkyl chains.

Weak interactions between resorcinarenes and diquaternary alkyl ammonium cations

The interactions of resorcin[4]arenes 1 with alkyl ammonium cations bearing a 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) scaffold (32+, 42+ and 52+) were analyzed in the solid state by X-ray crystallography, in solution by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and in the gas phase by ESI-TOF mass spectrometry. The results are complemented with AM1 calculations and compared to previous reports on complexation studies of resorcinarenes with quaternary alkyl ammonium cations. The NMR titration results indicate that there are hardly any differences in the binding of the quaternary tetramethyl ammonium cation 2+ and the diquaternary N,N’-dimethyl DABCO dication 42+. The large N,N’-dibenzyl DABCO dication 52+ has two potential sites for inclusion, that is, the aryl groups and the central cationic part, and the complexation and interactions of both sites with 1 were verified in the NMR studies as well as in the solid state structures.

Encapsulation of diquats by resorcinarenes: a novel staggered anion-solvent mediated hydrogen bonded capsule.

Crystallisation studies of ethyl resorcinarene with diquats 2b and 3a (1,4-dimethyl-1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane dibromide and 1,4-diazoniabicyclo[2.2.2]octane dichloride, respectively) resulted in hydrogen bonded molecular capsules in which the cations are encapsulated in between the cavities of two resorcinarene molecules and anions are located in the middle of the lower rim ethyl chains.

Nondestructive Size Determination of Thiol-Stabilized Gold Nanoclusters in Solution by Diffusion Ordered NMR Spectroscopy

Diffusion ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) was used as an analytical tool to estimate the size of thiol-stabilized gold nanoclusters in solution, namely, phenylethanethiol (PET) stabilized Au25(PET)18, Au38(PET)24, and Au144(PET)60. This was achieved by determining the diffusion coefficient and hydrodynamic radius from solution samples that were confirmed to be monodispersed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The average cluster diameters obtained by this technique were estimated to be 1.7, 2.2, and 3.1 nm for the Au25(PET)18, Au38(PET)24, and Au144(PET)60 nanoclusters, respectively, which were shown to agree well with the average diameters of the corresponding single crystal or theoretical structures reported in the literature. Consequently, the DOSY technique is demonstrated to be a potentially valuable nondestructive tool for characterization of nanoparticle mixtures and verifying the purity of product solutions.

C-Methyl resorcin[4]arene packing motifs with alkyl ammonium salts: From molecular capsules to channels and tubes

A variety of packing motifs of C-methyl resorcinarene were obtained when complexed with small alkyl ammonium salts of different size and shape. Using bromide and chloride salts of the small quaternary alkyl ammonium cations, tetramethyl ammonium and dimethyldiethyl ammonium, leads to a grid-like packing of solvent mediated dimeric capsules while the use of salts of larger diquaternary cations bearing a 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) scaffold produces solvent/anion mediated chains and channels or tubular structures. The connecting interactions between resorcinarenes in each structure are hydrogen bonding and/or π⋯π interactions.

Covalently linked multi-calixarenes

Abstract ipso-Nitration of t-butyl calix[4]arene tetraethers and subsequent hydrogenation provides an easy access to monoamino calix[4]arenes. Reaction with di- and triacid chlorides leads to various double- and triple-calix[4]arenes. With tetraacid chlorides derived from calix[4]arenes in the cone- or 1,3-alternate-conformations penta-calix[4]arenes are available as molecularly uniform species, which may be regarded as the first generation of calix[4]arene based dendrimers. The structure of the mononitro tetraester derivative, which may serve as a general building block has been confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis.

Specific recognition of fluoride anion using a metallamacrocycle incorporating a uranyl-salen unit

The design and synthesis of a novel fluoride receptor that uses a salen-complexed Lewis acidic uranyl center as the sole binding site is reported here. This receptor binds fluoride anions in DMSO with a high affinity constant (K > 106 M−1) and exhibits a negligible affinity (K < 10 M−1) towards otherwise effective competitors, such as acetate, phosphate and cyanide anions.

Novel one-pot synthesis of quaternary ammonium halides: new route to ionic liquids

Treatment of an amide with an alkyl or substituted alkyl halide in the presence of a weak base in a one-pot reaction leads to crystalline quaternary ammonium halides with reasonable chemical yields; some of the compounds show low melting points and a liquid range of over 50–100 °C before decomposition.

Ammonium ion mediated resorcarene capsules: ESI-FTICRMS study on gas-phase structure and ammonium ion affinity of tetraethyl resorcarene and its per-methylated derivative.

The ammonium ion binding affinities of tetraethyl resorcarene (1) and its per-methylated derivative (2) were studied by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (ESI-FTICR) mass spectrometry. Ten different ammonium ions were tested as guests for the resorcarenes. A strong tendency for complex formation was observed with all ammonium ions of size and charge distribution suitable for noncovalent interactions with the cavities of the resorcarene hosts 1 and 2. Although differences in ammonium ion affinities were observed between 1 and 2 due to the dissimilar conformations, the overall tendency was that increase in the degree of substitution and the length of carbon chain of the ammonium cation facilitated the complex formation until the sterical hindrance impeded the complexation. Dimeric as well as monomeric ammonium ion complexes were formed with resorcarene 1, but resorcarene 2 was unable to form the dimeric capsules because of the lack of H-bond donor possibilities. The nature of binding of the guest was further investigated with ion-molecule reactions and by determination of the single crystal X-ray structure of host 1 complexed with tetramethyl ammonium bromide.

Ethyl Pyrogall[6]arene and Pyrogall[4]arene: Synthesis, Structural Analysis and Derivatization

In the acid-catalyzed synthesis of ethyl pyrogall[4]arene, a novel hexamer, ethyl pyrogall[6] arene, is obtained as a readily isolable minor product. Pyrogall[6]arene can be isolated from the reaction mixture in three different ways yielding the hexamer in different forms and stabilities. Crystallization from DMSO and then recrystallization from acetone gives a stable crystalline solid, recrystallization directly from acetone yields an unstable white powder, while direct recrystallization from THF gives a stable white powder. Both pyrogall[4]arene and pyrogall[6]arene crystallize readily with DMSO filling the voids in the crystal lattice. Co-crystallization studies of the hexamer isolated by recrystallization from acetone resulted in a novel directly hydrogen-bonded capsule formed by two pyrogall[4]arenes and an included TMA cation, while the DMSO/acetone isolated product yielded the intact hexamer with clathrate-type TMA inclusion.