Drastic effects of the second coordination sphere on neutral vs. anionic guest binding to a biomimetic Cu(II) center embedded in a calix[6]aza-cryptand.

A calix[6]arene capped by a tmpa unit provides Cu(ii) funnel complexes that, for the first time, accept not only neutral guest ligands but also anionic ones such as a hydroxide, which is due to a small conformational change in the calixarene cone.

Supramolecular assemblies with calix[6]arenes and copper ions: from dinuclear to trinuclear linear arrangements of hydroxo-Cu(II) complexes.

Complexation of copper(II) by calix[6]arene-based ligands bearing either two or three N-benzylimidazole coordinating arms under basic conditions has been studied. Whereas the tris(imidazole) derivative stabilizes dicationic 5-coordinate aqua complexes in a mononuclear state with an intracavity bound guest, in the presence of hydroxide ions, the latter undergo dimerization. An X-ray structure revealed decoordination of one imidazole arm and formation of a bis(hydroxo) bridged Cu(II) core with a square-planar geometry for both metal centers sandwiched by two empty calixarene cavities. Upon methanolysis, the dinuclear complex underwent an unexpected rearrangement leading to the clean formation of a trinuclear complex. X-ray diffraction analyses of this novel species revealed a trinuclear core constructed around a central Cu(II) ion that is doubly bridged through either methoxide or hydroxide anions to two Cu(II) ions hold by two calixarene units. The same complex could be directly synthesized by reacting the ligand with copper(II) perchlorate in a 2:3 ratio in the presence of base. In solution, the tetrahydroxo Cu(3) complex was characterized by UV-vis and (1)H NMR spectroscopies and displayed an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal only below 100 K that accounts for a S = 1/2 fundamental state. Formation of the same di- and trinuclear species was observed with a calix[6]arene-based bis(imidazole) ligand, which demonstrates the generality of the reaction schemes. All these results emphasize the versatility of the calix[6]arene scaffold for the stabilization of metal complexes with various nuclearities.

Synthesis, crystal structure, and nonlinear optical behavior of beta-unsubstituted meso-meso E-vinylene-linked porphyrin dimers.

[structure: see text] A vinylene-linked porphyrin dimer, with no substituents at the beta-positions, has been synthesized by CuI/CsF promoted Stille coupling. In the crystal structure of this dimer, the C(2)H(2) bridge is twisted by 45 degrees relative to the plane of the porphyrins. The absorption, emission spectra, and electrochemistry reveal substantial porphyrin-porphyrin pi-conjugation. The triplet excited-state absorption spectrum of this dimer makes it suitable for reverse saturable absorption at 710-900 nm.