Preorganized anion traps for exploiting anion-π interactions: an experimental and computational study.

1,3-Bis(pentafluorophenyl-imino)isoindoline (A(F)) and 3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,8-bis(pentafluorophenyl)-9H-carbazole (B(F)) have been designed as preorganized anion receptors that exploit anion-π interactions, and their ability to bind chloride and bromide in various solvents has been evaluated. Both receptors A(F) and B(F) are neutral but provide a central NH hydrogen bond that directs the halide anion into a preorganized clamp of the two electron-deficient appended arenes. Crystal structures of host-guest complexes of A(F) with DMSO, Cl(-), or Br(-) (A(F):DMSO, A(F):Cl(-), and A(2)(F):Br(-)) reveal that in all cases the guest is located in the cleft between the perfluorinated flaps, but NMR spectroscopy shows a more complex situation in solution because of E,Z/Z,Z isomerism of the host. In the case of the more rigid receptor B(F), Job plots evidence 1:1 complex formation with Cl(-) and Br(-), and association constants up to 960 M(-1) have been determined depending on the solvent. Crystal structures of B(F) and B(F):DMSO visualize the distinct preorganization of the host for anion-π interactions. The reference compounds 1,3-bis(2-pyrimidylimino)isoindoline (A(N)) and 3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,8-diphenyl-9H-carbazole (B(H)), which lack the perfluorinated flaps, do not show any indication of anion binding under the same conditions. A detailed computational analysis of the receptors A(F) and B(F) and their host-guest complexes with Cl(-) or Br(-) was carried out to quantify the interactions in play. Local correlation methods were applied, allowing for a decomposition of the ring-anion interactions. The latter were found to contribute significantly to the stabilization of these complexes (about half of the total energy). Compounds A(F) and B(F) represent rare examples of neutral receptors that are well preorganized for exploiting anion-π interactions, and rare examples of receptors for which the individual contributions to the binding energy have been quantified.