calixarenes and tetramethylammonium

The non-covalent interactions of different upper-rim-substituted C(2)-resorcinarenes with tetramethylammonium salts were analyzed in the gas phase in an Electrospray Ionization Fourier-transform ion-cyclotron-resonance (ESI-FTICR) mass spectrometer and by (1)H NMR titrations. The order of binding strengths of the hosts towards the tetramethylammonium cation in the gas phase reflects the electronic nature of the substituents on the upper rim of the resorcinarene. In solution, however, a different trend with particularly high binding constants for halogenated resorcinarenes has been observed. This trend can be explained by a synergetic effect originating from the interaction of the halogenated resorcinarenes with the counter anions through hydrogen bonding. This study highlights the importance of weak interactions in recognition processes and points out the benefits of comparing the gas-phase data with results obtained from solution experiments.

Topics: Calixarenes; Halogenation; Hydrogen Bonding; Ions; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Molecular; Phenylalanine; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Salts; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

We report and rationalize the formation of gels, responsive to sodium cations or pH changes, in aqueous media by a supramolecular system constituted of an aryl extended calix[4]pyrrole receptor and the tetramethylammonium guest.

Topics: Calixarenes; Cations; Hydrogel, Polyethylene Glycol Dimethacrylate; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Porphyrins; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Sodium

The solution binding properties of calix[4]pyrroles with anion (added as tetraalkylammonium salts) were investigated using UV-vis spectroscopic techniques. The obvious red-shift of absorption maximum band of calix[4]pyrrole in EtOH in the presence of the tetramethylammonium (TMA(+)) or tetraethylammonium (TEA(+)) salts were observed. These results displayed in electronic absorption spectra indicated calix[4]pyrrole receptors linking anionic species through multiple hydrogen bonding interactions are capable of using the periphery electron-rich "walls" for selectively binding electron-deficient tetraalkylammonium cation subunits by cation-pi charge-transfer interaction. It was seen that the stability of the calix[4]pyrrole-anion complex depends strongly on the cation. The meso-alkyl groups of the calix[4]pyrrole, the affinity for the anion subunits and the structure of tetraalkylammonium cations have considerable effects on the formation of cation-pi charge-transfer interaction.

Topics: Calixarenes; Ethanol; Kinetics; Porphyrins; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Solutions; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet; Tetraethylammonium

Rigid calix[4]arene cone conformers, which are efficient receptors for quaternary ammonium salts, are usually obtained through the functionalization of their lower rim with suitable groups. Using flexible cone conformer of calix[4]arene, bearing four 4-hydroxybenzyl groups as cooperative and rigidifying structural elements at the upper rim of the calix, which act as anion binding groups, a new heteroditopic cavitand, 7, was synthesized. Whereas the tetramethoxy derivative 8 does not show any complexing ability, its tetrahydroxy analogue 7 recognizes tetramethylammonium salts with high efficiency. The binding abilities of this new receptor toward a series of tetramethylammonium salts (tosylate, chloride, acetate, trifluoroacetate, and picrate) have been investigated in CDCl(3) solution and compared to the monotopic and rigidified, through the lower rim, cone biscrown-3-calix[4]arene 9. The results obtained confirmed that in CDCl(3) ion pairing strongly affects binding. In particular, the rigid monotopic receptor 9 experiences good efficiency toward tetramethylammonium salts having anions with low ion-pairing ability such as trifluoroacetate or picrate. On the contrary, for the new heteroditopic cavitand 7, a reverse order of efficiency was found. In the latter case a different complexation mode was hypothesized in which the tetramethylammonium cation is deeply entrapped into the host cavity and its counteranion participates to the recognition process by coordination via hydrogen bonding by the four OH groups. To further support the role of the anion in the recognition process, a "dual host" approach, employing 7 or 9 in the presence of a specific receptor for chloride anion (10), was utilized. Molecular modeling studies confirmed that in the complexes formed by 7 and TMA salts the counteranion is involved in hydrogen bonding with the host OH groups and that the guests are bound as ligand-separated ion pairs.

Topics: Allosteric Regulation; Anions; Calixarenes; Hydrogen Bonding; Indicators and Reagents; Kinetics; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Molecular; Molecular Conformation; Phenols; Quaternary Ammonium Compounds; Receptors, Drug