Takamichi Aoki

Supramolecular polymers with alternating pillar[5]arene and pillar[6]arene units from a highly selective multiple host–guest complexation system and monofunctionalized pillar[6]arene

A highly selective multiple host–guest complexation system based on pillar[5]arene and pillar[6]arene is reported. A pyridinium cation moiety is included in the pillar[5]arene cavity, but hardly forms a stable host–guest complex with pillar[6]arene. A 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane cation moiety forms a host–guest complex with pillar[6]arene, but not with pillar[5]arene. A synthetic route to mono-reactive pillar[6]arene is also developed, enabling the synthesis of pillar[6]arene with a pyridinium cation group at a single position. Based on the highly selective multiple host–guest complexation system and mono-reactive pillar[6]arene, a supramolecular polymer with alternating pillar[5]arene and pillar[6]arene units is constructed.

Facile, rapid, and high-yield synthesis of pillar[5]arene from commercially available reagents and its X-ray crystal structure.

We monitored the progress of formation of dimethoxypillar[5]arene by size-exclusion chromatography. Surprisingly, the cyclization reaction completely finished in just 3 min. By improving the reaction conditions and purification process, we successfully obtained dimethoxypillar[5]arene in a short time and in high yield (71%) from commercially available reagents. By improving the deprotection reaction of the methoxy moieties, pillar[5]arene was isolated quantitatively. Single crystal X-ray analysis confirmed the structure of pillar[5]arene in the solid state.

Synthesis and Conformational Characteristics of Alkyl-Substituted Pillar[5]arenes

A series of pillar[5]arene derivatives with alkyl groups of different length were synthesized. The new alkyl-substituted pillar[5]arene derivatives 1,4-bis(ethoxy)pillar[5]arene (C2), 1,4-bis(propoxy)pillar[5]arene (C3), 1,4-bis(butoxy)pillar[5]arene (C4), 1,4-bis(pentyloxy)pillar[5]arene (C5), 1,4-bis(hexyloxy)pillar[5]arene (C6), and 1,4-bis(dodecanoxy)pillar[5]arene (C12) were obtained by Lewis acid-catalyzed condensation of dialkoxybenzene monomers with paraformaldehyde. The conformational characteristics of the pillar[5]arene derivatives were investigated by dynamic (1)H NMR measurements. When the alkyl substituents were bulkier than methyl groups, the rotation of phenolic units in the pillar[5]arenes was suppressed and their conformation was immobilized. As their length increased, the alkyl substituents packed at the upper and lower rims and thus lowered the conformational freedom of the pillar[5]arenes.

High‐Yield Diastereoselective Synthesis of Planar Chiral [2]‐ and [3]Rotaxanes Constructed from per‐Ethylated Pillar[5]arene and Pyridinium Derivatives

Planar chiral [2]- and [3]rotaxanes constructed from pillar[5]arenes as wheels and pyridinium derivatives as axles were obtained in high yield using click reactions. The process of rotaxane formation was diastereoselective; the obtained [2]rotaxane was a racemic mixture consisting of (pS, pS, pS, pS, pS) and (pR, pR, pR, pR, pR) forms of the per-ethylated pillar[5]arene (C2) wheel, and other possible types of the [2]rotaxane did not form. Isolation of the enantiopure [2]rotaxanes with one axle through (pS, pS, pS, pS, pS)-C2 or (pR, pR, pR, pR, pR)-C2 wheels was accomplished. Furthermore, pillar[5]arene-based [3]rotaxane was successfully synthesized by attachment of two pseudo [2]rotaxanes onto a bifunctional linker. [3]Rotaxane formed in a 1:2:1 mixture with one axle threaded through two (pS, pS, pS, pS, pS)-C2, one (pS, pS, pS, pS, pS)-C2 and one (pR, pR, pR, pR, pR)-C2 (meso form), or two (pR, pR, pR, pR, pR)-C2 wheels. The [3]rotaxane enantiomers and the meso form were successfully isolated using appropriate chiral HPLC column chromatography. The procedure developed in this study is the starting point for the creation of pillar[5]arene-based interlocked molecules.

Thermally responsive shuttling behavior of a pillar[6]arene-based [2]rotaxane.

A [2]rotaxane constructed from a per-ethylated pillar[6]arene as a wheel and a pyridinium derivative as an axle was prepared. The wheel segment of the per-ethylated pillar[6]arene moved from one station to another along the axle as a result of thermal stimuli.

Photoreversible transformation between seconds and hours time-scales: threading of pillar[5]arene onto the azobenzene-end of a viologen derivative.

Photoswitching of the transformation between seconds and hours time-scales is demonstrated using the threading of per-hydroxylated pillar[5]arene onto the azobenzene-end of a viologen derivative. When the azobenzene moiety was in the trans form, the threading of per-hydroxylated pillar[5]arene quickly took place at 25 °C and could not be monitored directly. The exchange rate (k) and half-life time (t(1/2)) examined by 2D EXSY NMR spectroscopy were found to be 0.209 ± 0.013 s(-1) and 3.33 ± 0.21 s, respectively. In contrast, the cis form of the azobenzene moiety required very long time (k = 2.14 ± 0.27 × 10(-5) s(-1), t(1/2) = 9.13 ± 1.2 h) to thread per-hydroxylated pillar[5]arene at 25 °C. Photoisomerization from the trans to the cis form generated the following increment of free energy of activation at 25 °C: ΔG(in)(‡) (cis form) - ΔG(in)(‡) (trans form) = 22.8 ± 0.24 kJ mol(-1), which led to the time-scale transformation. The tuning of the threading was also accomplished by heating/cooling: the rate constants increased on heating and decreased on cooling.

Clickable Di- and Tetrafunctionalized Pillar[n]arenes (n = 5, 6) by Oxidation–Reduction of Pillar[n]arene Units

We report a new route for the selective synthesis of di- and tetrafunctionalized pillararenes via oxidation and reduction of the pillararene units. Hypervalent-iodine oxidation of perethylated pillar[5]arene afforded pillar[5]arene derivatives containing one benzoquinone unit and two benzoquinones at the A,B- and A,C-units. A pillar[6]arene derivative containing one benzoquinone unit was also synthesized. Reduction of the benzoquinone units yielded position-selective di- and tetrahydroxylated pillararene derivatives. This methodology avoids the generation of many constitutional isomers and overcomes the isolation problem of numerous constitutional isomers. From these hydroxylated pillararenes, Huisgen reaction-based clickable di- and tetraalkynylated pillar[5]arenes were prepared. Because of the highly selective and reactive nature of Huisgen alkyne-azide cycloaddition, these pillar[5]arenes can serve as key compounds for a large library of di- and tetrafunctionalized pillararenes. Based on these di- and tetrafunctionalized pillar[5]arenes as key compounds, fluorescent sensors were created by the modification of di- and tetrapyrene moieties via Huisgen-type click reactions.