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An S10-Symmetric 5-Fold Interlocked [2]Catenane
Tanya K Ronson1, Yujia Wang2, Kim Baldridge2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW, United Kingdom.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|May 27, 2020
Summary
Researchers created novel interlocked molecular cages and catenanes using corannulene derivatives. These complex structures, featuring metal ions and pyridine or phenanthroline ligands, exhibit unique bowl-in-bowl arrangements with guests.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Coordination Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Corannulene derivatives serve as versatile building blocks in supramolecular chemistry.
- The synthesis of complex interlocked architectures like catenanes and cages is a significant challenge.
- Metal-organic cages and catenanes offer potential applications in host-guest chemistry and catalysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize novel supramolecular structures derived from a pentakis(4-aminothiophenyl)corannulene precursor.
- To investigate the formation of interlocked [2]catenanes and metal-organic cages.
- To explore the host-guest properties and energetic contributions within these assemblies.
Main Methods:
- Template-assisted synthesis involving sym-pentakis(4-aminothiophenyl)corannulene with specific pyridine and phenanthroline ligands and metal ions (CuI, CoII, ZnII).
- Structural characterization using X-ray crystallography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry.
- Computational analysis using Density Functional Theory (DFT) to evaluate energetic contributions.
Main Results:
- Successful synthesis of S10-symmetric, 5-fold interlocked [2]catenanes ([CuI5L2]5+) and D5-symmetric metal-organic cages ([MII5L2]10+).
- X-ray crystallography confirmed the intricate interpenetrated cage and catenane structures.
- DFT calculations revealed that non-covalent dispersive forces play a crucial role, comparable to covalent bond energies.
Conclusions:
- The study demonstrates the feasibility of constructing complex, multi-component supramolecular architectures with high symmetry.
- Subcomponent exchange reactions indicate a preference for cage formation over catenane formation under specific conditions.
- The resulting cages and catenanes can encapsulate corannulene guests, forming unique bowl-in-bowl substructures.
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