Han et al.
FULL PAPER
we obtained the crystal structure of guest 4,[8] which
showed that it adopts an S-type self-folding structure
stabilized by a couple of C-H…F interactions between
the methylene protons of the linked ether chain and the
fluorine atoms, and also the anion-π interactions be-
rived macrotricyclic host 1 with two dibenzo-30-crown-
10 cavities could form stable 1∶1 complexes with not
only the bisparaquat derivative 3 linked by a polyether
chain in both solution and solid state, but also a self-
folding A-D-A guest 4. Moreover, potassium ion con-
trolled switchable processes between the host and both
bisparaquat derivative 3 and the self-folding guest were
also achieved. Based on these developed host-guest
systems, our further studies will focus on the applica-
tions of the novel synthetic host in molecular assembly
and molecular machines, which are now in progress.
tween PF− and two bipyridinium rings of 4. This spe-
6
cific self-folding structure benefited it to be included by
host 1 with a large central cavity.
K+ ion-controlled binding and release of the guest in
the complex
Moreover, we also investigated the potassium ions
controlled switchable process between the host and the
Acknowledgement
1
self-folding guest by a series of H NMR experiments
(Figure 5). Consequently, it was found that the 1H NMR
spectrum of a 1∶1 mixture of 1 and guest 4 showed
formation of complex 1·4. When six equivalents of
KPF6 was added to the above solution, the proton sig-
nals of the complex totally disappeared, while the pro-
ton signals of guest 4 and the aromatic proton signals of
the host all shifted downfield almost to the original po-
sitions (Figure 5c). These indicated that complexation
between the crown ethers and the potassium ions oc-
curred, which resulted in the release of the cationic or-
ganic guest 4 from the cavity of the host. When 8
equivalents of 18-crown-6 was then added to the above
system, it was found that the proton signals of complex
1·4 recovered (Figure 5d), suggesting complex 1·4
formed again. Thus, the release and binding process of
the self-folding A-D-A guest 4 in the complex could be
easily controllable switched by addition and removal of
the potassium ions. Similarly, K+ ion-controlled bind-
ing and release of guest 3 in complex 1·3 was also
found.[10]
We thank the National Natural Science Foundation
of China (Nos. 20972162, 91127009), and the National
Basic Research Program (No. 2011CB932501) for fi-
nancial support.
References
[1] (a) Steed, J. W.; Atwood, J. L. Supramolecular Chemistry, 2nd ed.,
John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, U. K., 2009; (b) Functional Syn-
thetic Receptors, Eds.: Schrader, T.; Hamilton, A. D., Wiley-VCH
Verlag GmbH & Co. KgaA, Weinheim, Germany, 2005; (c) Macro-
cyclic Chemistry: Current Trends and Future Perspectives, Ed.:
Gloe, K., Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2005.
[2] Some recent examples: (a) Yu, G. C.; Han, C. Y.; Zhang, Z. B.;
Chen, J. Z.; Yan, X. Z.; Zheng, B.; Liu, S. Y.; Huang, F. H. J. Am.
Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 8711; (b) Li, C. J.; Han, K.; Li, J.; Zhang, H.
C.; Ma, J. W.; Shu, X. Y.; Chen, Z. X.; Weng, L. H.; Jia, X. S. Org.
Lett. 2012, 14, 42; (c) Shu, X. Y.; Chen, S. H.; Li, J.; Chen, Z. X.;
Weng, L. H.; Jia, X. S.; Li, C. J. Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 2967; (d)
Guan, Y. F.; Ni, M. F.; Hu, X. Y.; Xiao, T. X.; Xiong, S. H.; Lin, C.;
Wang, L. Y. Chem. Commun. 2012, 48, 8529; (e) Hmadeh, M. A.;
Fahrenbach, C.; Basu, S.; Trabolsi, A.; Benítez, D.; Li, H.;
Albrecht-Gary, A. M.; Elhabiri, M.; Stoddart, J. F. Chem. Eur. J.
2011, 17, 6076; (f) Boyle, M. M.; Forgan, R. S.; Friedman, D. C.;
Gassensmith, J. J.; Stoddart, J. F.; Sauvage, J. P. Chem. Commun.
2011, 47, 11870; (g) Zhang, Z. J.; Zhang, Y. M.; Liu, Y. J. Org.
Chem. 2011, 76, 4682; (h) Zhang, Z. J.; Zhang, H. Y.; Chen, L.; Liu,
Y. J. Org. Chem. 2011, 76, 8270; (i) Hu, S.-Z.; Chen, C.-F. Chem.
Eur. J. 2011, 17, 5424; (j) Xue, M.; Hu, S.-Z.; Chen, C.-F. Acta
Chim. Sinica 2012, 70, 1697; (k) Han, C. Y.; Zhang, Z. B.; Chi, X.
D.; Yu, G. C.; Huang, F. H. Acta Chim. Sinica 2012, 70, 1775; (l)
Wang, Z.; Guo, D. S.; Zhang, J.; Liu, Y. Acta Chim. Sinica 2012, 70,
1709; (m) Yang, D. K.; Zeng, Z. J.; Chen, M. J.; Pan, S. W.; Yang,
Y.; Li, M.; Lei, C. Y.; Jiang, L. S. Acta Chim. Sinica 2012, 70, 1385;
(n) Li, S. J.; Zhang, X. J.; Liang, H. Y.; Wang, X. R. Acta Chim.
Sinica 2012, 70, 1013; (o) Zhang, X. J.; Liu, S. Z.; Wu, X. M.; Li, S.
J. Acta Chim. Sinica 2012, 70, 2066; (p) Dong, S. Y.; Luo, Y.; Yan,
X. Z.; Zheng, B.; Ding, X.; Yu, Y. H.; Ma, Z.; Zhao, Q. L.; Huang,
F. H. Angew. Chem., Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 1905; (q) Yan, X. Z.; Xu, D.
H.; Chi, X. D.; Chen, J. Z.; Dong, S. Y.; Ding, X.; Yu, Y. H.; Huang,
F. H. Adv. Mater. 2012, 24, 362; (r) Dong, S. Y.; Zheng, B.; Xu, D.
H.; Yan, X. Z.; Zhang, M. M.; Huang, F. H. Adv. Mater. 2012, 24,
3191.
1
Figure 5 Partial H NMR spectra (300 MHz, CD3CN∶CDCl3
=1∶1, 298 K) of (a) free guest 4, (b) host 1 and 1.0 equiv. of 4,
(c) the mixture obtained after adding 6.0 equiv. of KPF6 to the
solution of a, (d) the mixture obtained after adding 8.0 equiv. of
18-crown-6 to the solution of b. [1]0=3.0 mmol/L.
[3] (a) Liu, S.; Zavalij, P. Y.; Isaacs, L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127,
16798; (b) Kim, J.; Jung, I. S.; Kim, S. Y.; Lee, E.; Kang, J. K.; Sa-
kamoto, S.; Yamaguchi, K.; Kim, K. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122,
540; (c) Blanco, V.; Chas, M.; Abella, D.; Pía, E.; Platas-Iglesias, C.;
Peinador, C.; Quintela, J. M. Org. Lett. 2008, 10, 409; (d) Huang, F.
H.; Zakharov, L. N.; Rheingold, A. L.; Ashraf-Khorassani, M.; Gib-
son, H. W. J. Org. Chem. 2005, 70, 809; (e) Huang, F. H.; Gibson,
Conclusions
In conclusion, we have proved that triptycene-de-
610
© 2013 SIOC, CAS, Shanghai, & WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Chin. J. Chem. 2013, 31, 607—611