title: A versatile tripodal amide receptor for the encapsulation of anions or hydrated anions via formation of dimeric capsules.
abstract: A bowl-shaped tripodal receptor with an appropriately positioned amide functionality on the benzene platform and electron-withdrawing p-nitrophenyl terminals (L(1)) has been designed, synthesized, and studied for the anion binding properties. The single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis on crystals of L(1) with tetrabutylammonium salts of nitrate (1), acetate (2), fluoride (3), and chloride (4) obtained in moist dioxane medium showed encapsulation of two NO(3)(-), [(AcO)(2)(H(2)O)(4)](2-), [F(2)(H(2)O)(6)](2-), and [Cl(2)(H(2)O)(4)](2-) respectively as the anionic guests inside the staggered dimeric capsular assembly of L(1). The p-nitro substitution in the aryl terminals assisted the formation of dimeric capsular assembly of L(1) exclusively upon binding/encapsulating above different guests. Though L(1) demonstrates capsule formation upon anion or hydrated anion complexation for all of the anions studied here, its positional isomer with the o-nitro-substituted tripodal triamide receptor L(2) selectively formed the dimeric capsular assembly upon encapsulation of [F(2)(H(2)O)(6)](2-) and noncapsular aggregates in the cases of other anions such as Cl(-), NO(3)(-), and AcO(-). Interestingly, structural investigations upon anion exchange of the complexes revealed that both isomers have selectivity toward the formation of a [F(2)(H(2)O)(6)](2-) encapsulated dimeric capsule. In contrast, solution-state (1)H NMR titration studies of L(1) and L(2) in DMSO-d(6) with AcO(-) indicated 1:3 (host:guest) binding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, 2A & 2B Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arunachalam
authors.forename: Pradyut
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000577:Amides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000838:Anions / Q000737:chemistry; D018360:Crystallography, X-Ray; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009596:Nitrophenols / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D000838:Anions; D008024:Ligands; D009596:Nitrophenols