Synthesis and Guest-Binding Behavior of Water-Soluble Cyclophanes Bearing PEG Residues

A water-soluble cyclophane (1) having poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) moieties has been prepared from a tetraazide-functionalized cyclophane derivative and four poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acetylenes by Cu(I)-catalyzed 1,3 dipolar cycloadditions (click chemistry). An analogous derivative having a pyrene moiety (2) was also prepared in a similar manner. The guest-binding behavior of 1 and 2 toward anionic guests such as 6-p-toluidinonaphthalene-2-sulfonate was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The binding constants (K) of the host-guest complexes were evaluated.

Synthesis of a Rhodamine-Appended Cyclophane as a Fluorescence Host in Water

A cationic water-soluble cyclophane (1a) having a rhodamine moiety as a red-fluorescence fluorophore was prepared by reaction of a monoamine derivative of tetraaza[6.1.6.1]paracyclophane having three N-t-butoxycarbonyl-β-alanine residues with rhodamine B isothiocyanate, followed by removal of the protecting groups. The guest-binding behavior of 1a toward anionic guests such as dabsyl derivative and 4-(1-pyrene)butanoate was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The results suggested the formation of host-guest complexes with a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1 and the binding constants (K) of the host-guest complexes were evaluated.

Synthesis and Enhanced Guest-Binding Affinities of Dendrimer-Based Cyclophane Tetramer and Octamer

Dendritic cyclophane tetramer and octamer were prepared by aminolysis of succinimidyl ester derivative of tetraaza [6.1.6.1] paracyclophane with the corresponding poly(amidoamine) dendrimers as a scaffold, followed by removal of the protecting groups. The present cyclophane tetramer and octamer showed enhanced guest-binding affinities toward fluorescent guests such as 6-p-toluidinonaphthalene-2-sulfonate and 6-anilinonaphthalene-2-sulfonate, in comparison with those of monocyclic cyclophane, reflecting multivalency effects in macrocycles.

Synthesis of Branch-Type Cyclophane Tetramers Having a Multivalently Enhanced Guest-Binding Ability

A cationic branch-type cyclophane tetramer (1a) was synthesized by introducing three Boc-protected cyclophane derivatives into a N-acetylated tetraaza[6.1.6.1]paracy-clophane derivative as a core skeleton through DCC condensation, followed by removal of the external Boc-protecting groups. Cationic cyclophane tetramer 1a exhibited a high affinity toward an anionic and hydrophobic fluorescent guest, TNS, with binding constant of 4.8 × 105 M-1. This value of 1a was about 80-fold larger than that of the corresponding monomeric cyclophane for the identical guest, reflecting multivalent effect on the guest binding. As for electrostatic recognition, the obtained binding constant of 1a was one order of magnitude larger than that of an analogous anionic cyclophane tetramer (1b) for the identical guest. These enhanced guest-binding abilities of 1a were easily evaluated by fluorescence titration experiments.