Systematic Study of Podand Molecules for Synergistic Halogen and Hydrogen Bond-Driven Anion Recognition in the Solid State.

The increasing demand of species for the efficient capture and sensing of anions benefits from a systematic study of anion binding capabilities in the solid state. This work reports a detailed crystallographic study of ten structurally related podands and shows that these charged receptors bind anions with a combination of charge-assisted halogen and hydrogen bonds. Computational tools helped in highlighting the role of the different involved interaction and afforded possible design principles for the design of improved podands.

Tuning of Ionic Liquid Crystal Properties by Combining Halogen Bonding and Fluorous Effect.

We report halogen-bonded complexes between 1-polyfluoroalkyl-3-alkylimidazolium iodides and mono-iodoperfluoroalkanes of different chain lengths or di-iodoperfluorooctane. F NMR analyses revealed that the preferred stoichiometry between the donors and acceptors is 1 : 1 in the cases of the mono-iodoperfluoroalkanes, and 2 : 1 with di-iodoperfluorooctane, as a result of the monodentate behavior of the iodide anion (halogen bond acceptor). Single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses showed the presence of a perfluorinated superanion, which interdigitates with the cation fluorinated chains, favoring the formation of lamellar structures.

The diiodomethyl-sulfonyl moiety: an unexplored halogen bond-donor motif.

Herein, we report the crystal structures of the antimicrobial agent diiodomethyl-p-tolylsulfone and of three halogen bonded co-crystals demonstrating that the bioactive moiety -SO2CHI2 can function as a quite effective halogen bond based motif in the solid state and in solution, namely demonstrating that α-iodosulfones may become a new entry in the quite small group of alkyl-iodides functioning as reliable halogen bond-donors.

Dicarboxylic Acid Separation by Dynamic and Size-Matched Recognition in Solution and in the Solid State.

Bis(trimethylammonium) alkane diiodides dynamically encapsulate dicarboxylic acids through intermolecular hydrogen bonds between the I anions of the hosts and the carboxylic OH groups of the guests. A selective recognition is realized when the size of the I ⋅⋅⋅HOOC(CH /CF ) COOH⋅⋅⋅I superanion matches the dication alkyl chain length. Dynamic recognition is also demonstrated in solution, where the presence of the size-matching organic salt boosts the acid solubility profile, thus allowing efficient mixture separation.

Connectivity and Topology Invariance in Self-Assembled and Halogen-Bonded Anionic (6,3)-Networks.

We report here that the halogen bond driven self-assembly of 1,3,5-trifluorotriiodobenzene with tetraethylammonium and -phosphonium bromides affords 1:1 co-crystals, wherein the mutual induced fit of the triiodobenzene derivative and the bromide anions (halogen bond donor and acceptors, respectively) elicits the potential of these two tectons to function as tritopic modules (6,3). Supramolecular anionic networks are present in the two co-crystals wherein the donor and the acceptor alternate at the vertexes of the hexagonal frames and cations are accommodated in the potential empty space encircled by the frames. The change of one component in a self-assembled multi-component co-crystal often results in a change in its supramolecular connectivity and topology.