Porphyrinoid actinide complexes.

The diverse coordination modes and electronic features of actinide complexes of porphyrins and related oligopyrrolic systems (referred to as "porpyrinoids") have been the subject of interest since the 1960s. Given their stability and accessibility, most work with actinides has focused on thorium and uranium. This trend is also seen in the case of porphyrinoid-based complexation studies.

Transition metal chelators, pro-chelators, and ionophores as small molecule cancer chemotherapeutic agents.

Cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Although a number of new treatment options have been developed in recent years, there remains a need for improved chemotherapies. The primary challenges facing new cancer drugs include: (1) improving patient quality of life, (2) overcoming drug resistance and (3) lowering reoccurrence rates.

Strapped calix[4]pyrroles: from syntheses to applications.

Supramolecular chemistry is a central topic in modern chemistry. It touches on many traditional disciplines, such as organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, physical chemistry, materials chemistry, environmental chemistry, and biological chemistry. Supramolecular hosts, inter alia macrocyclic hosts, play critical roles in supramolecular chemistry.

Macrocycles as Ion Pair Receptors.

Cation and anion recognition have both played central roles in the development of supramolecular chemistry. Much of the associated research has focused on the development of receptors for individual cations or anions, as well as their applications in different areas. Rarely is complexation of the counterions considered.

Pyrrole- and Naphthobipyrrole-Strapped Calix[4]pyrroles as Azide Anion Receptors.

The binding interactions between the azide anion (N) and the strapped calix[4]pyrroles 2 and 3 bearing auxiliary hydrogen bonding donors on the bridging moieties, as well as of normal calix[4]pyrrole 1, were investigated via H NMR spectroscopic and isothermal titration calorimetry analyses. The resulting data revealed that receptors 2 and 3 have significantly higher affinities for the azide anion in organic media as compared with the unfunctionalized calix[4]pyrrole 1 and other azide receptors reported to date. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses and calculations using density functional theory revealed that receptor 2 binds CsN in two distinct structural forms.

Pyrrole N-H Anion Complexes.

Synthetic pyrrole-based anion receptors date back to the 1990s. They have been extensively developed in the context of macrocyclic systems as expanded porphyrins and calixpyrroles, and related systems. The chemistry of open-chain pyrrolic systems is, in many respects, no less venerable.

Naphthylbipyrrole-Containing Amethyrin Analogue: A New Ligand for the Uranyl (UO) Cation.

Using naphthobipyrrole as a functional building block, a new expanded porphyrin, naphthoisoamethyrin, was prepared in 85% yield under acid-catalyzed [4 + 2] MacDonald coupling conditions. Treatment of naphthoisoamethyrin with the nonaqueous uranyl silylamide salt [UO[N(SiMe)]·2THF] yielded the corresponding uranyl complex. Upon metalation, naphthoisoamethyrin undergoes a two-electron oxidation to yield a formal 22 π-electron aromatic species, as inferred from H NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetry.

A Dual-Responsive Bola-Type Supra-amphiphile Constructed from a Water-Soluble Calix[4]pyrrole and a Tetraphenylethene-Containing Pyridine Bis-N-oxide.

Complexation between a water-soluble calix[4]pyrrole and a ditopic pyridine N-oxide derivative in aqueous media produces a bola-type supra-amphiphile that self-assembles to produce higher order morphologies, including multilamellar vesicles and micelles depending on the pH. The present bola-type supra-amphiphile exhibits strong fluorescence due to structural changes and aggregation induced by host-guest complexation. The resulting structures may be used to recognize, encapsulate, and release non-fluorescent, water-soluble small molecules.

Naphthocrown-strapped calix[4]pyrroles: formation of self-assembled structures by ion-pair recognition.

A new approach to the construction of self-assembled structures is reported that is based on ion-pair recognition. Towards this end, the calix[4]pyrrole naphthocrown-4 hybrid structures 2 and 3 were prepared. These multitopic receptors contain recognition sites for both anions and cations.

Controlling cesium cation recognition via cation metathesis within an ion pair receptor.

Ion pair receptor 3 bearing an anion binding site and multiple cation binding sites has been synthesized and shown to function in a novel binding-release cycle that does not necessarily require displacement to effect release. The receptor forms stable complexes with the test cesium salts, CsCl and CsNO(3), in solution (10% methanol-d(4) in chloroform-d) as inferred from (1)H NMR spectroscopic analyses. The addition of KClO(4) to these cesium salt complexes leads to a novel type of cation metathesis in which the "exchanged" cations occupy different binding sites.