Calix[4]pyrrole and porphyrin-based molecular assemblies.

Esta tesis se centra en el estudio de ensamblajes moleculares de calix[4]pirroles y porfirinas. Las propiedades de interacción y la topología de un bis-calix[4]pirrol macrotriciclo homoditópico han sido empleadas en el desarrollo de tres estrategias generales para el ensamblaje cuantitativo de pseudorotaxanos. En una de estas estrategias, el anión poliatómico de un par iónico es reconocido por el complejo supramolecular que resulta cuando una molécula lineal y neutra enhebra el macrotriciclo. Además, se describe la formación de complejos de dímeros de pares de iones y cuartetes de iones reconocidos por el macrotriciclo a través de un proceso altamente cooperativo. También, se estudia el reconocimiento de sales de tetrabutilamonio derivadas de fullerenos utilizando pinzas moleculares de porfirinas. Finalmente, se describe la formación de un macrociclo formado por la interacción de bisporfirinas de rodio y bispiridinas. Este macrociclo es usado en la formación de complejos con topología de rotaxano y pseudorotaxano.This thesis is focused on the study of molecular assemblies based on calix[4]pyrroles and porphyrins. The topology and the binding properties of a homoditopic biscalix[4]pyrrole macrotricycle are used to develop three general strategies for the quantitative self-assembly of pseudorotaxane-like complexes. In one strategy, the polyatomic anion of an ion pair is recognized by the supramolecular complex that results when a neutral linear molecule threads the homoditopic macrotricycle. Additionally, the formation of highly stable complexes of ion-pair dimers and quartets of ions by the bis-calix[4]pyrrole receptor through a highly cooperative process is described. Nickel metallated porphyrin tweezers containing calix[4]pyrrole spacers are used in the recognition of the tetrabutylammonium salt of the [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric carboxylic acid. Finally, the quantitative self-assembly of a macrocycle formed by the interaction between a rhodium bisporphyrin and a bispyridyl ligand is described. This macrocycle was used in the formation of complexes with [2]pseudorotaxane and [2]rotaxane-like topologies

Sensitive Assays by Nucleophile-Induced Rearrangement of Photoactivated Diarylethenes

Upon light-induced isomerization, diarylethenes (DAEs) equipped with reactive aldehyde moieties rearrange selectively in the presence of amines, accompanied by decoloration. In a comprehensive study, the probe structure was optimized with regard to its inherent reactivity in the nucleophile-triggered rearrangement reaction. Detailed structure−reactivity relationships could be derived, in particular with regard to the type of integrated (het)aryl moieties as well as the location of the formyl residue, and the probes’ intrinsic reactivity with primary and secondary amines was optimized. Utilizing an ancillary base, the initially formed rearrangement product can engage in a subsequent catalytic cycle, leading to an amplified decoloration process. This additional catalytic pathway allows us to enhance the sensitivity of our method and successfully discriminate between amines and thiols. Moreover, probes that exhibit strong analyte-induced fluorescence modulation have been designed to further decrease the detection limit by using a more sensitive read-out. The optimized DAE probes are promising molecular components for future programmable sensing materials and devices.Peer Reviewe

Sensitive assays by nucleophile-induced rearrangement of photoactivated diarylethenes

Upon light-induced isomerization, diarylethenes (DAEs) equipped with reactive aldehyde moieties rearrange selectively in the presence of amines, accompanied by decoloration. In a comprehensive study, the probe structure was optimized with regard to its inherent reactivity in the nucleophile-triggered rearrangement reaction. Detailed structure-reactivity relationships could be derived, in particular with regard to the type of integrated (het)aryl moieties as well as the location of the formyl residue, and the probes' intrinsic reactivity with primary and secondary amines was optimized. Utilizing an ancillary base, the initially formed rearrangement product can engage in a subsequent catalytic cycle, leading to an amplified decoloration process. This additional catalytic pathway allows us to enhance the sensitivity of our method and successfully discriminate between amines and thiols. Moreover, probes that exhibit strong analyte-induced fluorescence modulation have been designed to further decrease the detection limit by using a more sensitive read-out. The optimized DAE probes are promising molecular components for future programmable sensing materials and devices

Red-Emitting Polymerizable Guanidinium Dyes as Fluorescent Probes in Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Glyphosate Detection

The development of methodologies to sense glyphosate has gained momentum due to its toxicological and ecotoxicological effects. In this work, a red-emitting and polymerizable guanidinium benzoxadiazole probe was developed for the fluorescence detection of glyphosate. The interaction of the fluorescent probe and the tetrabutylammonium salt of glyphosate was studied via UV/vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in chloroform and acetonitrile. The selective recognition of glyphosate was achieved by preparing molecularly imprinted polymers, able to discriminate against other common herbicides such as 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 3,6-dichloro-2-methoxybenzoic acid (dicamba), as thin layers on submicron silica particles. The limits of detection of 4.8 µM and 0.6 µM were obtained for the sensing of glyphosate in chloroform and acetonitrile, respectively. The reported system shows promise for future application in the sensing of glyphosate through further optimization of the dye and the implementation of a biphasic assay with water/organic solvent mixtures for sensing in aqueous environmental samples

Multivalency in Heteroternary Complexes on Cucurbit[8]uril-Functionalized Surfaces: Self-assembly, Patterning, and Exchange Processes

The spatial confinement of multivalent azopyridine guest molecules mediated by cucurbit[8]urils is described. Fluorescent dye-labelled multivalent azopyridine molecules were attached to preformed methyl viologen/cucurbit[8]uril inclusion complexes in solution and at surfaces. The formation of the resulting heteroternary host–guest complexes was verified in solution and on gold substrates. Surface binding constants of the multivalent ligands were two orders of magnitude higher than that of the monovalent one. Poly-l-lysine grafted with oligo(ethylene glycol) and maleimide moieties was deposited on cyclic olefin polymer surfaces and further modified with thiolated methyl viologen and cucurbit[8]uril. Defined micrometer-sized patterns were created by soft lithographic techniques. Supramolecular exchange experiments were performed on these surface-bound heterocomplexes, which allowed the creation of cross-patterns by taking advantage of the molecular valency, which led to the substitution of the monovalent guest by the multivalent guests but not vice versa

Polyatomic Anion Assistance in the Assembly of [2]Pseudorotaxanes

We describe the use of polyatomic anions for the quantitative assembly of ion-paired complexes displaying pseudorotaxane topology. Our approach exploits the unique ion-pair recognition properties exhibited by noncovalent neutral receptors assembled through hydrogen-bonding interactions between a bis-calix[4]­pyrrole macrocycle and linear bis-amidepyridyl-<i>N</i>-oxides. The complexation of bidentate polyatomic anions that are complementary in size and shape to the receptor’s cavity, in which six NH hydrogen-bond donors converge, induces the exclusive formation of four particle-threaded assemblies

Polyatomic Anion Assistance in the Assembly of [2]Pseudorotaxanes

We describe the use of polyatomic anions for the quantitative assembly of ion-paired complexes displaying pseudorotaxane topology. Our approach exploits the unique ion-pair recognition properties exhibited by noncovalent neutral receptors assembled through hydrogen-bonding interactions between a bis-calix[4]­pyrrole macrocycle and linear bis-amidepyridyl-<i>N</i>-oxides. The complexation of bidentate polyatomic anions that are complementary in size and shape to the receptor’s cavity, in which six NH hydrogen-bond donors converge, induces the exclusive formation of four particle-threaded assemblies

Polyatomic Anion Assistance in the Assembly of [2]Pseudorotaxanes

We describe the use of polyatomic anions for the quantitative assembly of ion-paired complexes displaying pseudorotaxane topology. Our approach exploits the unique ion-pair recognition properties exhibited by noncovalent neutral receptors assembled through hydrogen-bonding interactions between a bis-calix[4]­pyrrole macrocycle and linear bis-amidepyridyl-<i>N</i>-oxides. The complexation of bidentate polyatomic anions that are complementary in size and shape to the receptor’s cavity, in which six NH hydrogen-bond donors converge, induces the exclusive formation of four particle-threaded assemblies

Influence of the Solvent and Metal Center on Supramolecular Chirality Induction with Bisporphyrin Tweezer Receptors. Strong Metal Modulation of Effective Molarity Values

We describe the synthesis of a bisporphyrin tweezer receptor <b>1</b>·H₄ and its metalation with Zn­(II) and Rh­(III) cations. We report the thermodynamic characterization of the supramolecular chirality induction process that takes place when the metalated bisporphyrin receptors coordinate to enantiopure 1,2-diaminocyclohexane in two different solvents, toluene and dichloromethane. We also performed a thorough study of several simpler systems that were used as models for the thermodynamic characterization of the more complex bisporphyrin systems. The initial complexation of the chiral diamine with the bisporphyrins produces a 1:1 sandwich complex that opens up to yield a simple 1:2 complex in the presence of excess diamine. The CD spectra associated with the 1:1 and 1:2 complexes of both metalloporphyrins, <b>1</b>·Zn₂ and <b>1</b>·Rh₂, display bisignate Cotton effects when the chirogenesis process is studied in toluene solutions. On the contrary, in dichloromethane solutions, only <b>1</b>·Zn₂ yields CD-active 1:1 and 1:2 complexes, while the 1:2 complex of <b>1</b>·Rh₂ is CD-silent. In both solvents, porphyrin <b>1</b>·Zn₂ features a stoichiometrically controlled chirality inversion process, which is the sign of the Cotton effect of the 1:1 complex is opposite to that of the 1:2 complex. In contrast, porphyrin <b>1</b>·Rh₂ affords 1:1 and 1:2 complexes in toluene solutions with the same sign for their CD couplets. Interestingly, in both solvents, the signs of the CD couplets associated with the 1:1 sandwich complexes of <b>1</b>·Zn₂ and <b>1</b>·Rh₂ are opposite. The amplitudes of the CD couplets are higher for <b>1</b>·Zn₂ than for <b>1</b>·Rh₂. This observation is in agreement with <b>1</b>·Rh₂ having a smaller extinction coefficient than <b>1</b>·Zn₂. We performed DFT-based calculations and assigned molecular structures to the 1:1 and 1:2 complexes that explain the observed signs for their CD couplets. Unexpectedly, the quantification of the thermodynamic stability of the two metallobisporphyrin/diamine 1:1 sandwich complexes revealed the existence of interplay between effective molarity values (EM) and the strength of the intermolecular interaction (<i>K</i>_m; N···Zn or N···Rh) used in their assembly. The EM for the N···Rh­(III) intramolecular interaction is 3 orders of magnitude smaller than that for the N···Zn­(II) interaction, both of which are embedded in the same scaffold of the <b>1</b>·M₂ bisporphyrin receptor