Self-assembly of a strapped linear porphyrin oligomer on HOPG.

Polymeric structures based on porphyrin units exhibit a range of complex properties, such as nanoscale charge transport and quantum interference effects, and have the potential to act as biomimetic materials for light-harvesting and catalysis. These functionalities are based upon the characteristics of the porphyrin monomers, but are also emergent properties of the extended polymer system. Incorporation of these properties within solid-state devices requires transfer of the polymers to a supporting substrate, and may require a high-degree of lateral order.

Sequence-Defined Dendrons Dictate Supramolecular Cogwheel Assembly of Dendronized Perylene Bisimides.

A dendronized perylene bisimide (PBI) that self-organizes into hexagonal arrays of supramolecular double helices with identical single-crystal-like order that disregards chirality was recently reported. A cogwheel model of self-assembly that explains this process was proposed. Accessing the highly ordered cogwheel phase required very slow heating and cooling or extended periods of annealing.

Detecting Mechanochemical Atropisomerization within an STM Break Junction.

We have employed the scanning tunneling microscope break-junction technique to investigate the single-molecule conductance of a family of 5,15-diaryl porphyrins bearing thioacetyl (SAc) or methylsulfide (SMe) binding groups at the ortho position of the phenyl rings (S2 compounds). These ortho substituents lead to two atropisomers, cis and trans, for each compound, which do not interconvert in solution under ambient conditions; even at high temperatures, isomerization takes several hours (half-life 15 h at 140 °C for SAc in CClD). All the S2 compounds exhibit two conductance groups, and comparison with a monothiolated (S1) compound shows the higher group arises from a direct Au-porphyrin interaction.

Scavenger templates: a systems chemistry approach to the synthesis of porphyrin-based molecular wires.

A hexa-pyridyl template can be used as a scavenger to facilitate the synthesis of a linear porphyrin dodecamer from a mixture of linear hexamers with one or two terminal reactive groups. The template suppresses polymer formation by rapidly cyclizing the fully deprotected hexamer, thus up-regulating formation of the linear dodecamer.

Unexpected Interactions between Alkyl Straps and Pyridine Ligands in Sulfur-Strapped Porphyrin Nanorings.

Strapped or "basket-handle" porphyrins have been investigated previously as hemoglobin mimics and catalysts. The facial selectivity of their interactions with axial ligands is a sensitive test for noncovalent bonding. Here the binding of pyridyl ligands to zinc porphyrins with thioester-linked alkyl straps is investigated in solution by NMR spectroscopy and UV-vis titration, and in the solid state by X-ray crystallography.

Push-pull pyropheophorbides for nonlinear optical imaging.

Pyropheophorbide-a methyl ester (PPa-OMe) has been modified by attaching electron-donor and -acceptor groups to alter its linear and nonlinear optical properties. Regioselective bromination of the terminal vinyl position and Suzuki coupling were used to attach a 4-(N,N-diethylaminophenyl) electron-donor group. The electron-acceptor dicyanomethylene was attached at the cyclic ketone position through a Knoevenagel condensation.

A supramolecular helix that disregards chirality.

The functions of complex crystalline systems derived from supramolecular biological and non-biological assemblies typically emerge from homochiral programmed primary structures via first principles involving secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures. In contrast, heterochiral and racemic compounds yield disordered crystals, amorphous solids or liquids. Here, we report the self-assembly of perylene bisimide derivatives in a supramolecular helix that in turn self-organizes in columnar hexagonal crystalline domains regardless of the enantiomeric purity of the perylene bisimide.

Graphene-porphyrin single-molecule transistors.

We demonstrate a robust graphene-molecule-graphene transistor architecture. We observe remarkably reproducible single electron charging, which we attribute to insensitivity of the molecular junction to the atomic configuration of the graphene electrodes. The stability of the graphene electrodes allow for high-bias transport spectroscopy and the observation of multiple redox states at room-temperature.

Homochiral columns constructed by chiral self-sorting during supramolecular helical organization of hat-shaped molecules.

A library of dendronized cyclotriveratrylene (CTV) crowns substituted with chiral, racemic, or achiral peripheral alkyl chains, including enantiopure R and S branched alkyls, "racemic by mixture", "racemic by synthesis", n-octyl, and n-dodecyl groups was synthesized. In solvophobic solvents and in bulk they self-assemble in helical columns. Their solution and bulk shape-persistent supramolecular structures were determined by a complementary combination of circular dichroism (CD) and UV in solution and thin film, microspot CD in thin film, differential scanning calorimetry combined with fiber X-ray diffraction, computer simulation, and molecular models.

Cyclic [4]rotaxanes containing two parallel porphyrinic plates: toward switchable molecular receptors and compressors.

Twenty years ago, researchers considered the synthesis of simple rotaxanes a challenging task, but with the rapid development of this field, chemists now view these interlocking molecules as accessible synthetic targets. In a major advance for the field, researchers have developed transition metals or organic molecules as templating structures, making it easier to construct these molecular systems. In addition, chemists have found ways to introduce new functional groups, which have given these compounds new properties.

Self-assembly of dendritic dipeptides as a model of chiral selection in primitive biological systems.

Biological macromolecules are homochiral, composed of sequences of stereocenters possessing the same repeated absolute configuration. This chapter addresses the mechanism of homochiral selection in polypeptides. In particular, the relationship between the stereochemistry (L or D) of structurally distinct α-amino acids is explored.

A flexible copper(I)-complexed [4]rotaxane containing two face-to-face porphyrinic plates that behaves as a distensible receptor.

A new cyclic [4]rotaxane composed of two flexible bis-macrocycles and two rigid axles is described. Each bis-macrocycle consists of two rings attached to antipodal meso positions of a central Zn porphyrin through single C-C bonds. Each ring incorporates a 2,9-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline chelation site.

Fluorescent analogues of quinoline reveal amine ligand loss from cis and trans platinum(II) complexes in cancer cells.

Analogues of cytotoxic cis and trans dichloridoplatinum(II) complexes with one ammonia and one aromatic amine (cis- and trans-[PtCl(2)(aromatic amine)(NH(3))]) were synthesised in which the aromatic group was replaced by the fluorescent ligand 7-azaindole (1). Coordination resulted in almost complete quenching of the fluorescence and the ligand had a effect on the biological activities of the cis and trans isomers similar to that previously reported for aromatic amines as is exemplified by them having similar cytotoxicities (IC(50) 3.6(5) and 6.