Solvent and guest-binding-controlled chiroptical inversion of molecular devices based on pseudo[1]catenane-type pillar[5]arene derivatives

Four pillar[5]arene-based bicyclic compounds,so-called molecular universal joint(MUJ),were synthesized by incorporating a bisamide ring containing N,O,or S-heteroatom groups,which served as stimuli-responsive chiroptical molecular devices.The structure of MUJ was confirmed by 1H NMR spectra and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis,and their planar-chiral enantiomers were successfully separated.Chiroptical inversion behaviors from in to out configurations triggered by temperature,solvent,and guest complexation were investigated by circular dichroism spectra.Chiroptical inversion could be realized in the presence of adiponitrile in certain solvents due to the solvation effects on the side ring and the threading of the guest into the pillar[5]arene cavity.However,the stronger self-included interactions between the cavity and the inside ring of certain MUJs led to inhibition of the switching.

Chiroptical switching of molecular universal joint triggered by complexation/release of a cation: A stepwise synergistic complexation

Pillar[5]arene-based molecular universal joints(MUJs), bearing fused crown ether subring(MUJ1 and MUJ3) or a ring without ether oxygen atom(MUJ2), were synthesized and enantio–differentiated. Significant chiral inversion was observed for the crown ether-fused MUJs upon the addition of equivalent cations Na+, showing an anisotropy(g) factor of 0.014, while alkyl subring-fused MUJ2 showed no CD inversions. Unprecedentedly, sodium ion triggered rolling-in motion of the subring to the pillar[5]arene cavity was verified, and the synergistic noncovalent interaction of cation-π interactions and C–H···π interactions were responsible for the stabilized self-included conformers. The addition of Me OH or competitive hosts 15-crown-5 ether disassembled the complex of MUJ1 and Na+followed by a rolling-out of the subring, which made the sodium-ion triggered chiroptical switching reversible.

Photochemical graft of γ-cyclodextrin's interior leading to in-situ charge-transfer complexes with unusual regioselectivity and its application in 3D photo-printing

Photoirradiation of anthraquinone(AQ)derivatives withγ-cyclodextrin(γ-CD)in aqueous solution led to aγ-CD derivative with a 9,10-dihydroxylanthracene grafting unprecedentedly at the 5′-position of one glucoside ofγ-CD in high efficiency.Meanwhile,another AQ enters into the remaining space of the 9,10-dihydroxylanthracene-occupiedγ-CD cavity to in-situ form a selfincluded quinhydrone charge transfer(CT)complex.The structure of the supramolecular CT complex was unambiguously demonstrated by 1 D and 2 D NMR(^(1)H NMR,^(13)C NMR,DEPT,^(1)H-^(1)H COSY,HSQC,HMBC,TOCSY,and ROESY)spectroscopies,which revealed a highly stereoselective stacking of the quinhydrone pairs in theγ-CD cavity.The supramolecular CT complex showed an unusually high binding affinity and improved oxidation resistance.Polyacrylamides bearingγ-CD or anthraquinone were respectively synthesized by co-polymerization of acrylamide with the corresponding monomer.Photoirradiation of aqueous mixtures containing these two types of polymers led to gelation,which was applied to 3 D photo-printing of soft materials.