Efficient, non-toxic anion transport by synthetic carriers in cells and epithelia.

Transmembrane anion transporters (anionophores) have potential for new modes of biological activity, including therapeutic applications. In particular they might replace the activity of defective anion channels in conditions such as cystic fibrosis. However, data on the biological effects of anionophores are scarce, and it remains uncertain whether such molecules are fundamentally toxic. Here, we report a biological study of an extensive series of powerful anion carriers. Fifteen anionophores were assayed in single cells by monitoring anion transport in real time through fluorescence emission from halide-sensitive yellow fluorescent protein. A bis-(p-nitrophenyl)ureidodecalin shows especially promising activity, including deliverability, potency and persistence. Electrophysiological tests show strong effects in epithelia, close to those of natural anion channels. Toxicity assays yield negative results in three cell lines, suggesting that promotion of anion transport may not be deleterious to cells. We therefore conclude that synthetic anion carriers are realistic candidates for further investigation as treatments for cystic fibrosis.

Diaxial diureido decalins as compact, efficient, and tunable anion transporters.

Decalins bearing two axial -NHCONHAr substituents and an ester-linked alkyl side chain have been synthesized and studied as anion receptors and transporters. The design relates to steroid-based "cholapods" but is more compact and less intrinsically lipophilic. Transport rates depend on both NHAr and the alkyl side chain. High activities can be achieved; with optimal substitution, chloride-nitrate exchange across vesicle membranes is measurable at transporter/lipid ratios as low as 1:250,000.

Steroid-based anion receptors and transporters.

Anion binding and transport are important goals of supramolecular chemistry, especially in light of the potential for biological activity. Success depends on scaffolds which can preorganise polar functionality for anion recognition, and can maintain the right physical properties (e.g. solubility) to operate in the desired medium (e.g. a cell membrane). In this tutorial review we show how steroids, and in particular the bile acids, can provide good solutions to the problem. Not only do they provide rigid frameworks for mounting H-bond donor functionality, but their lipophilic nature ensures that they remain compatible with non-polar environments. Podands derived from cholic acid (cholapods) have proved especially useful, being tuneable, readily accessible and exceptionally powerful. For example, affinities up to 10(11) M(-1) have been measured for neutral cholapods binding chloride salts in chloroform. Steroid-based anion receptors can also display interesting selectivities, demonstrating the principle that discrimination improves with binding strength, and showing good enantioselectivities with chiral anions. The binding strength of cholapods and related systems allows them to act as transmembrane anion carriers. Again activity is exceptionally high, with measurable chloride transport at cholapod:lipid ratios of just 1:250,000 in vesicle membranes. These steroidal systems may present a real opportunity for the development of useful biological activity based on anion transport.

Electrochemistry and spectroelectrochemistry of beta,beta'-fused quinoxalinoporphyrins and related extended bis-porphyrins with Co(III), Co(II), and Co(I) central metal ions.

A series of cobalt(II) and cobalt(III) porphyrins with fused quinoxaline rings at one or more beta,beta'-pyrrolic units of the macrocycle were synthesized and characterized as to their electrochemical properties in nonaqueous media. Their UV-visible spectra were also measured before and during oxidation or reduction in a thin-layer cell. The investigated quinoxalinoporphyrins are represented as (PQ)Co, (QPQ)CoCl, (PQ(2))CoCl, Co(P)-TA-(P)Co, and Co(PQ)-(QP)Co, where PQ = the dianion of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)-quinoxalino[2,3-b']porphyrin, QPQ = the dianion of the corresponding linear bisquinoxalino[2,3-b':12,13-b'']porphyrin, PQ(2) = the dianion of the corresponding corner bisquinoxalino[2,3-b':7,8-b'']porphyrin, and (P)-TA-(P) = the tetraanion of the bis-porphyrin with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)porphyrins fused at opposite ends of tetraazaanthracene. (P)Co and (P)CoCl were also characterized where P = the dianion of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyl)porphyrin. Each compound could be cycled between their Co(III), Co(II), and Co(I) forms under the application of a given oxidizing or reducing potential, although a one-electron reduction of the Co(II) quinoxalinoporphyrins led to a product with mixed Co(I) and porphyrin pi-anion radical character followed by generation of a pure Co(I) pi-anion radical species at more negative potentials. The effect of the position and number of quinoxaline groups on the redox potentials and mechanisms of each electron transfer were elucidated, and comparisons made to structurally similar compounds containing both redox active and redox inactive central metal ions. Surprisingly, the position and number of quinoxaline groups on the macrocycle has little or no effect on the redox potentials for the Co(II) --> Co(III) or Co(III) --> Co(II) processes, but this is not the case for other electron transfer reactions where significant differences are seen between the examined compounds. Significant interactions are also observed between the two porphyrin macrocycles of the laterally bridged dicobalt(II) bis-porphyrin dyad Co(P)-TA-(P)Co in its singly and doubly reduced form, but only weak interactions are seen between the two Co(PQ) units of the single bond biquinolalinyl-bridged dicobalt(II) bis-porphyrin dyad Co(PQ)-(QP)Co.

Complete 1H and 119Sn NMR spectral assignment for an asymmetric di[dihydroxotin(IV)] bis-porphyrin supramolecular host and its corresponding tetraacetato complex.

The full (1)H and (119)Sn NMR spectral assignments for a di[dihydroxotin(IV)] bis-porphyrin supramolecular host I and for the di[diacetatotin(IV)] complex II are presented. Despite the lack of varied chemical functionality in these molecules, all of their 64 proton environments are non-equivalent. This is due to the asymmetry afforded by the Tröger's base (methanodiazocine) bridge between the porphyrin and quinoxalinoporphyrin macrocycles. The methanodiazocine bridge imparts chirality and concavity on the host framework and the quinoxalino link to one porphyrin macrocycle results in a negation of C(2) symmetry. The anisotropy of the aromatic porphyrin and quinoxalinoporphyrin macrocycles results in good dispersion for all 60 signals of the host framework and for the four ligands bound in the axial positions of the tin(IV) centres. The full assignment of the (1)H NMR spectra for these systems was achieved using dqf-COSY, NOESY, ROESY, (1)H-(119)Sn HMQC, (1)H-(13)C HSQC and (1)H-(13)C HMBC spectroscopy at temperatures that optimised dispersion. The (1)H-(119)Sn HMQC was particularly useful in this assignment. The (119)Sn chemical shift is sensitive to the functionality of the porphyrin and to the nature of the axial ligation, and the (119)Sn centre couples to both the ligand protons and the beta-pyrrolic protons. This allows unequivocal identification of the spin systems associated with each metal centre.

Regioselective reactivity of an asymmetric tetravalent di[dihydroxotin(IV)] bis-porphyrin host driven by hydrogen-bond templation.

Local molecular environment effects on the rates of ligand exchange at an asymmetric di[dihydroxotin(IV)] bis-porphyrin 5 are examined. The host 5 possesses four non-equivalent tin(IV)-ligand binding sites that are distinguished by their position relative to a shallow cavity, by the steric environment at each binding site and by electronic-structure differences between the constituent porphyrin and quinoxalinoporphyrin macrocycles. These design features of the asymmetric host are confirmed by X-ray crystal structure analysis. Binding experiments with monodentate carboxylic acids and bidentate dicarboxylic acids show significant differences in the rate of ligand exchange at each of the four tin(IV) binding sites. For monodentate carboxylic acids, binding preferentially occurs at the exterior porphyrin site. Further addition of carboxylic acid results in sequential binding at the quinoxalinoporphyrin sites and lastly at the interior site on the porphyrin, with high regioselectivity. These selective binding outcomes are immediately apparent by NMR spectroscopy. A series of 2D NMR spectroscopy experiments allowed identification of the preferred binding sites at the host. This positively identifies that steric hindrance and electron-withdrawing functionality on the porphyrin macrocycle impede ligand exchange. However, these effects are overcome by dicarboxylic acid guests, which form ditopic hydrogen-bond interactions between the intracavity hydroxo ligands in the initial stage of ligand exchange, leading to regioselective binding between the tin(IV) sites within the cavity. It is envisaged that the factors identified herein that define regioselective ligand exchange at host 5 will find wider application in supramolecular systems incorporating tin(IV) porphyrins.

Cavity effect amplification in the recognition of dicarboxylic acids by initial ditopic H-bond formation followed by kinetic trapping.

Di[dihydroxotin(IV)] Tröger's base bis-porphyrin 1, a host molecule with two internal and two external guest interaction sites, binds