I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23480]
Abstract: Although circular helicates can be assembled with a range of labile transition-metal centers, solely “chiral-at-metal” examples (i.e., systems without chiral ligands) and heterometallic (i.e., mixed metal systems, racemic or chiral) circular helicates both remain unexplored. Here, we report on the enantioselective synthesis of a heterometallic (Ir2Zn4) hexameric circular helicate and its elaboration into the corresponding triply interlocked Star of David [2]catenane. The relative inertness of Ir(III) enables enantiospecific synthesis of the hexameric circular helicate using chiral-at-metal building blocks. The resulting Star of David [2]catenane, which is a chiral 6-2-1 link, is formed as a single topological enantiomer. The X-ray crystal structure of the (Ir2Zn4)-catenane shows each of the two 95-atom-long macrocycles entwined around the six metal octahedral metal ions and each other, forming a triply interlocked circular double helix. Two PF6– anions reside above and below the central cavity. The Star of David [2]catenane, both with and without coordinated Zn(II) ions, retains the photophysical properties characteristic of cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes. The synthetic strategy opens up new research directions and opportunities for the assembly of other chiral knots, links, and heterometallic circular helicates.
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Jan 2021
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Sérgio M. F.
Vilela
,
Jorge A. R.
Navarro
,
Paula
Barbosa
,
Ricardo F.
Mendes
,
Germán
Pérez-sánchez
,
Harriott
Nowell
,
Duarte
Ananias
,
Filipe
Figueiredo
,
José R. B.
Gomes
,
João P. C.
Tomé
,
Filipe A.
Almeida Paz
Abstract: Porous robust materials are typically the primary selection of several industrial processes. Many of these compounds are, however, not robust enough to be used as multifunctional materials. This is typically the case of Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) which rarely combine several different excellent functionalities into the same material. In this report we describe the simple acid–base postsynthetic modification of isotypical porous rare-earth-phosphonate MOFs into a truly multifunctional system, maintaining the original porosity features: [Ln(H3pptd)]·xSolvent [where Ln3+ = Y3+ (1) and (Y0.95Eu0.05)3+ (1_Eu)] are converted into [K3Ln(pptd)]·zSolvent [where Ln3+ = Y3+ (1K) and (Y0.95Eu0.05)3+ (1K_Eu)] by immersing the powder of 1 and 1_Eu into an ethanolic solution of KOH for 48 h. The K+-exchanged Eu3+-based material exhibits a considerable boost in CO2 adsorption, capable of being reused for several consecutive cycles. It can further separate C2H2 from CO2 from a complex ternary gas mixture composed of CH4, CO2, and C2H2. This high adsorption selectivity is, additionally, observed for other gaseous mixtures, such as C3H6 and C3H8, with all these results being supported by detailed theoretical calculations. The incorporation of K+ ions notably increases the electrical conductivity by 4 orders of magnitude in high relative humidity conditions. The conductivity is assumed to be predominantly protonic in nature, rendering this material as one of the best conducting MOFs reported to date.
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Jan 2021
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[15190, 14164]
Abstract: A new sapphire capillary pressure cell for single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements at moderate pressures (200−1500 bar; 1 bar = 100 kPa) has been developed and optimized for use on beamline I19 at Diamond Light Source. The three-component cell permits optical centring of the crystal and in situ pressure modification to a precision of 1 bar. Compression of hexamethylenetetramine and its deuterated analogue to 1000 bar was performed, showcasing the accuracy and precision of the measurements, and highlighting evidence of a geometric isotope effect.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17379]
Abstract: Current strategies for the synthesis of molecular knots focus on twisting, folding and/or threading molecular building blocks. Here we report that Zn(II) or Fe(II) ions can be used to weave ligand strands to form a woven 3 × 3 molecular grid. We found that the process requires tetrafluoroborate anions to template the assembly of the interwoven grid by binding within the square cavities formed between the metal-coordinated criss-crossed ligands. The strand ends of the grid can subsequently be joined through within-grid alkene metathesis reactions to form a topologically trivial macrocycle (unknot), a doubly interlocked [2]catenane (Solomon link) and a knot with seven crossings in a 258-atom-long closed loop. This 74 knot topology corresponds to that of an endless knot, which is a basic motif of Celtic interlace, the smallest Chinese knot and one of the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism and Hinduism. The weaving of molecular strands within a discrete layer by anion-template metal–ion coordination opens the way for the synthesis of other molecular knot topologies and to woven polymer materials.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[6302]
Abstract: The reaction between two equivalents of {(Me3Si)2CH}(Ph)PH(BH3) (1) and Bu2Mg, followed by two
equivalents of BH3·SMe2, gives the corresponding phosphido-bis(borane) complex, which may be crystallised as two distinct chemical species: the complex [{(Me3Si)2CH}(Ph)P(BH3)2]2Mg(THF)4·THF (2a), and two
different THF solvates (1 : 1 and 1 : 2) of the solvent-separated ion triples [{(Me3Si)2CH}(Ph)P(BH3)2]2[Mg
(THF)6]·THF (2b) and [{(Me3Si)2CH}(Ph)P(BH3)2]2[Mg(THF)6]·2THF (2c). Similar reactions between two
equivalents of 1 and either (4-tBuC6H4CH2)2Ca(THF)4 or [(Me3Si)2CH]2Sr(THF)2, followed by two equivalents of BH3·SMe2, give the heavier alkali metal complexes [{(Me3Si)2CH}(Ph)P(BH3)2]2M(THF)4 [M = Ca (3),
Sr (4)]. Surprisingly, compounds 2a, 3 and 4 adopt almost identical structures in the solid state, which
differ only in the geometrical arrangement of the phosphido-bis(borane) ligands and the hapticity of the
borane groups.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[20876]
Abstract: The first examples of isolable terphenyl-substituted germylium-ylidenes are reported. These systems, of composition [(NHC)(Ar)Ge]+, exploit a range of aryl and NHC substituents (ArMes, ArTrip; IMe4, IPrMe) and are isolated by employing weakly coordinating borate or aluminate counter-ions. The use of the smallest combination of substituents used in this study (IMe4 and ArMes) results in the formation of a dicationic dimer, [(IMe4)(ArMes)Ge=Ge(ArMes)(IMe4)]2+, which can also be viewed as an imidazolium-functionalized digermene. Increasing the steric loading (at either the NHC or terphenyl ligand) leads to the formation of the monomeric germylium-ylidene cations [(IMe4)(ArTrip)Ge]+, [(IPrMe)(ArMes)Ge]+, and [(IPrMe)(ArTrip)Ge]+, stabilized in the solid state to varying degrees by secondary interactions with the peripheral arene π systems or C–H bonds. These three systems are characterized by widening C–Ge–C angles (101.7(1), 105.0(2) and 107.2(1)°, respectively) as the steric profiles of the germanium-bound substituents increase. In the case of dication [(IMe4)(ArMes)Ge=Ge(ArMes)(IMe4)]2+, its ability to act as a functional source of the corresponding monomeric germylium-ylidene, [(IMe4)(ArMes)Ge]+, is demonstrated through its reaction with PhSiH3 in bromobenzene solution, which generates the monomeric GeIV species [(IMe4)(ArMes)Ge(H)(SiH2Ph)]+ via Si–H oxidative addition at germanium.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[21497]
Abstract: Here we describe the formation of an unexpected and unique family of hollow six-stranded helicates. The formation of these structures depends on the coordinative flexibility of silver and the 2-formyl-1,8-napthyridine subcomponent. Crystal structures show that these assemblies are held together by Ag4I, Ag4Br, or Ag6(SO4)2 clusters, where the templating anion plays an integral structure-defining role. Prior to the addition of the anionic template, no six-stranded helicate was observed to form, with the system instead consisting of a dynamic mixture of triple helicate and tetrahedron. Six-stranded helicate formation was highly sensitive to the structure of the ligand, with minor modifications inhibiting its formation. This work provides an unusual example of mutual stabilization between metal clusters and a self-assembled metal–organic cage. The selective preparation of this anisotropic host demonstrates new modes of guiding selective self-assembly using silver(I), whose many stable coordination geometries render design difficult.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[23480]
Open Access
Abstract: The length and constitution of spacers linking three 2,6-pyridinedicarboxamide units in a molecular strand influence the tightness of the resulting overhand (open-trefoil) knot that the strand folds into in the presence of lanthanide(III) ions. The use of β-hairpin forming motifs as linkers enables a metal-coordinated pseudopeptide with a knotted tertiary structure to be generated. The resulting pseudopeptide knot has one of the highest backbone-to-crossing ratios (BCR)—a measure of knot tightness (a high value corresponding to looseness)—for a synthetic molecular knot to date. Preorganization in the crossing-free turn section of the knot affects aromatic stacking interactions close to the crossing region. The metal-coordinated pseudopeptide knot is compared to overhand knots with other linkers of varying tightness and turn preorganization, and the entangled architectures characterized by NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, CD spectroscopy and, in one case, X-ray crystallography. The results show how it is possible to program specific conformational properties into different key regions of synthetic molecular knots, opening the way to systems where knotting can be systematically incorporated into peptide-like chains through design.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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Open Access
Abstract: The precise control over the formation of complex nanostructures, e.g. polyoxometalates (POMs), at the sub-nanoscale is challenging but critical if non-covalent architectures are to be designed. Combining biologically-evolved systems with inorganic nanostructures could lead to sequence-mediated assembly. Herein, we exploit oligopeptides as multidentate structure-directing ligands via metal-coordination and hydrogen bonded interactions to modulate the self-assembly of POM superstructures. Six oligopeptides (GH, AH, SH, G2H, G4H and G5H) are incorporated into the cavities of Molybdenum Blue (MB) POM nanowheels. It is found that the helicity of the nanowheel can be readily switched (Δ to Λ) by simply altering the N-terminal amino acid on the peptide chain rather than their overall stereochemistry. We also reveal a delicate balance between the Mo-coordination and the hydrogen bonds found within the internal cavity of the inorganic nanowheels which results in the sequence mediated formation of two unprecedented asymmetrical nanowheel frameworks: {Mo122Ce5} and {Mo126Ce4}.
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Dec 2020
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I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction
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David P.
August
,
Robert A. W.
Dryfe
,
Sarah J.
Haigh
,
Paige R. C.
Kent
,
David A.
Leigh
,
Jean-francois
Lemonnier
,
Zheling
Li
,
Christopher A.
Muryn
,
Leoni I.
Palmer
,
Yiwei
Song
,
George F. S.
Whitehead
,
Robert J.
Young
Diamond Proposal Number(s):
[17379]
Abstract: Fabrics—materials consisting of layers of woven fibres—are some of the most important materials in everyday life. Previous nanoscale weaves include isotropic crystalline covalent organic frameworks that feature rigid helical strands interlaced in all three dimensions, rather than the two-dimensional layers of flexible woven strands that give conventional textiles their characteristic flexibility, thinness, anisotropic strength and porosity. A supramolecular two-dimensional kagome weave and a single-layer, surface-supported, interwoven two-dimensional polymer have also been reported. The direct, bottom-up assembly of molecular building blocks into linear organic polymer chains woven in two dimensions has been proposed on a number of occasions, but has not previously been achieved. Here we demonstrate that by using an anion and metal ion template, woven molecular ‘tiles’ can be tessellated into a material consisting of alternating aliphatic and aromatic segmented polymer strands, interwoven within discrete layers. Connections between slowly precipitating pre-woven grids, followed by the removal of the ion template, result in a wholly organic molecular material that forms as stacks and clusters of thin sheets—each sheet up to hundreds of micrometres long and wide but only about four nanometres thick—in which warp and weft single-chain polymer strands remain associated through periodic mechanical entanglements within each sheet. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy show clusters and, occasionally, isolated individual sheets that, following demetallation, have slid apart from others with which they were stacked during the tessellation and polymerization process. The layered two-dimensional molecularly woven material has long-range order, is birefringent, is twice as stiff as the constituent linear polymer, and delaminates and tears along well-defined lines in the manner of a macroscopic textile. When incorporated into a polymer-supported membrane, it acts as a net, slowing the passage of large ions while letting smaller ions through.
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Dec 2020
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