Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Intermolecular Forces03:13

Intermolecular Forces

Atoms and molecules interact through bonds (or forces): intramolecular and intermolecular. The forces are electrostatic as they arise from interactions (attractive or repulsive) between charged species (permanent, partial, or temporary charges) and exist with varying strengths between ions, polar, nonpolar, and neutral molecules. The different types of intermolecular forces are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion; among these, dipole–dipole, hydrogen bonds, and dispersion...
Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules02:35

Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules

Noncovalent attractions are associations within and between molecules that influence the shape and structural stability of complexes. These interactions differ from covalent bonding in that they do not involve sharing of electrons.
Four types of noncovalent interactions are hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, ionic bonds, and hydrophobic interactions.
Hydrogen bonding results from the electrostatic attraction of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a strong-electronegative atom like oxygen,...
Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules02:35

Noncovalent Attractions in Biomolecules

Noncovalent attractions are associations within and between molecules that influence the shape and structural stability of complexes. These interactions differ from covalent bonding in that they do not involve sharing of electrons.
Four types of noncovalent interactions are hydrogen bonds, van der Waals forces, ionic bonds, and hydrophobic interactions.
Hydrogen bonding results from the electrostatic attraction of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a strong-electronegative atom like oxygen,...
Structure of Amines01:19

Structure of Amines

The hybridized nitrogen atom in amines possesses a lone pair of electrons and is bound to three substituents with a bond angle of around 108°, which is less than the tetrahedral angle of 109.5°. However, the C–N–H bond angle is slightly larger at 112°, with a carbon–nitrogen bond length of 147 pm. This carbon–nitrogen bond length of of amines is longer than the carbon–oxygen bond of alcohols (143 pm) but shorter than alkanes’ carbon–carbon bond (154 pm). These aspects are illustrated in Figure...
π Molecular Orbitals of the Allyl Cation and Anion01:18

π Molecular Orbitals of the Allyl Cation and Anion

An allyl group is a three-carbon conjugated system where the sp³-hybridized allylic carbon is bonded to a CH=CH2 group via a single bond. Allyl anions can be obtained by treating propene with a strong base that can deprotonate methyl groups. Allyl cations are formed as intermediates during substitution reactions involving allylic halides. In both cases, the hybridization of the allylic carbon changes from sp3 to sp2, giving rise to a carbon chain with three sp2-hybridized carbons, each with an...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A molecular 'LEGO®' approach to high-spin triangular {Mn<sup>III</sup>Ln<sub>2</sub>} clusters from {Mn<sup>III</sup>} and {Ln<sub>2</sub>} metalloligands.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2026
Same author

A Molecular Playground for Spin-State Ice and Coupled Electron-Spin Dynamics.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors, chronic myeloid leukemia, and pregnancy: pharmacotherapeutic challenges and recommendations.

Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy·2026
Same author

The Care and Cure of the Leukemias in 2026.

American journal of hematology·2026
Same author

Magnetic and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Thiolate Bridged Divalent Ni, Pd, and Pt Ions Capped with VO(N<sub><b>2</b></sub>S<sub><b>2</b></sub>) Metalloligands.

Inorganic chemistry·2026
Same author

The evolving therapeutic revolution in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Cancer·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
06:35

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates

Published on: February 15, 2016

Anion-π interactions in supramolecular architectures.

Helen T Chifotides1, Kim R Dunbar

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77842, United States. chifotides@mail.chem.tamu.edu

Accounts of Chemical Research
|March 13, 2013
PubMed
Summary

Anion-π interactions, a new supramolecular chemistry field, involve noncovalent forces between π-acidic systems and anions. This study reveals these interactions are crucial for forming stable metallacycles and designing novel anion-sensing materials.

More Related Videos

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
16:24

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Published on: August 2, 2012

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials
08:55

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials

Published on: June 25, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates
06:35

Construction and Systematical Symmetric Studies of a Series of Supramolecular Clusters with Binary or Ternary Ammonium Triphenylacetates

Published on: February 15, 2016

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
16:24

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water

Published on: August 2, 2012

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials
08:55

Facile Protocol for the Synthesis of Self-assembling Polyamine-based Peptide Amphiphiles (PPAs) and Related Biomaterials

Published on: June 25, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Supramolecular Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Coordination Chemistry

Background:

  • Anion-π interactions, complementary to cation-π interactions, are increasingly recognized as significant noncovalent forces.
  • These interactions were previously overlooked due to their counterintuitive nature but are now known to be energetically favorable.
  • Anions play vital roles in chemical and biological processes, making anion recognition and transport key research areas.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate unprecedented supramolecular systems driven by anion-π contacts.
  • To explore the interplay between ligand π-acidity, anion identity, and metal ions in self-assembled architectures.
  • To demonstrate the potential of anion-π interactions in designing selective anion receptors and sensors.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis and characterization of metallacycles using transition metal ions and π-acidic ligands (bptz, bmtz, bppn, HAT(CN)6).
  • X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy (¹⁹F, ¹³C, halogen), mass spectrometry (MS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) for structural and electronic analysis.
  • Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations to corroborate experimental findings on anion-π contacts.

Main Results:

  • Tetrahedral and octahedral anions templated discrete molecular squares and pentagons, respectively, with encapsulated anions forming close anion-π contacts critical for stability.
  • Ligand π-acidity influenced the self-assembled structures, with higher π-acidity favoring propeller-type complexes and lower π-acidity favoring grid structures.
  • The extended π-acidic heterocycle HAT(CN)6 formed highly colored complexes with halide ions, exhibiting strong charge-transfer and anion-π contacts, indicating potential for anion sensing.

Conclusions:

  • Anion-π contacts are essential for the stability and templation of metallacycles, influencing their nuclearity and structure.
  • The judicious choice of ligands and metal ions allows for the rational design of supramolecular architectures with tunable properties.
  • Anion-π interactions offer a promising platform for developing advanced materials, including highly sensitive anion receptors and colorimetric sensors.