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Ruthenium-alkylidene-catalyzed cross-metathesis of a range of homologous alkenylamine salts provides expedient and high-yielding routes to commercially valuable polyamide monomers using a single catalyst, telescopic workup, and mild experimental conditions.

A quaternary ammonium Hoveyda-Grubbs olefin metathesis pre-catalyst has been reversibly immobilized on sulphonic acid-functionalised silica-coated iron oxide magnetic particles to affect ring closing metathesis with easy removal, reuse and regeneration.

An approach to the formation of molecular timepieces is outlined based on differentiating between rotamers in diaxial Sn(IV) porphyrin phenolates. Two models are explored in detail. The first explores how the rates of rotation of the diaxial ligands is discriminated based on steric hindrance of the two porphyrin macrocycle faces at low temperature. The second model explores a ‘stopwatch’ function based on the ligation of Ag(I) ions to a 5,15-dipyridylporphyrinato tin(IV) complex bearing 3-hydroxypyridine ligands. The complexation inhibits rotation of the axial ligand, a result, which can be reversed by precipitation of Ag(I) using tetraethylammonium bromide. X-ray crystallography has also been used to characterize two Ag(I) 5,15-dipyridylporphyrinato tin(IV)complexes. The two isoforms differ in their supramolecular organization. One structure is formed through a cofacial stack linking each porphyrin by Ag(I) coordination. The other displays a sheet-like coordination polymer structure.

The synthesis of a Zn (II) porphyrin-fullerene dyad in which the two chromophore units are tethered by a conformationally-flexible linker, is described. The synthesis is highlighted by the use of a cross metathesis strategy to prepare the linker between the chromophores. Photoexcitation of the Zn (II) porphyrin unit of the dyad in tetrahydrofuran leads to substantial (77%) quenching of porphyrin fluorescence. The multiple exponentials fluorescence decay kinetics observed are attributed to different rates of electron transfer from photoexcited porphyrin to fullerene in the various conformers present. A charge-separated state with a 330 ns lifetime is observed by transient spectroscopy.

The preparation and characterisation of the free-base and zinc metallated derivatives of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy)phenyl)porphyrin 1 is described. The X-ray crystal structure of the Zn(II) adduct 2 dimerises in the solid state via an intermolecular polyether oxygen–Zn(II) interaction (O…Zn = 2.124(4) A). The porphyrin dimers form discrete layers defined by a distance of 5.10 A between the porphyrin planes in adjacent layers. A bilayer sheeting arrangement of the porphyrin macrocyclic units is achieved through cooperative hydrogen bonding of the ethoxyethanol arms to form 11-membered macrocycles containing four hydrogen bonds.

A strategy in preparing a family of hexameric porphyrin cubes based on the interplay of Sn(IV)-O and Ru(II)-N interactions is described. In this first iteration, we have prepared the heptamer [SnIV(TPyP)·(4)2][Ru(CO)(TPP)]6 (4 = (E)-(3-(4-pyridyl)acrylate)) constituting a 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (TPyP) core and 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) faces and compared its formation by stepwise and "one-pot" strategies where up to nine components are assembled in a single step in a regiospecific manner. In one example, the heptamer is formed around the template [SnIV(TPyP)·(4)2] bearing pyridine groups in which the nitrogens radiate octahedrally along each vertex. The ability to modulate the axial vertex through choice of pyridine is also demonstrated. 1H NMR measurements on [SnIV(TPyP)·(4)2][Ru(CO)(TPP)]6 indicate that the protons on the core template are extremely shielded as a result of the anisotropy of the peripheral porphyrin units. Various NMR techniques, including NOESY experiments, have been used to characterise the heptamer in solution.

Acyclic diamines are valuable feedstocks for polyamide synthesis. Ruthenium-alkylidene catalysed cross metathesis of amino alkenes is problematic and acyl derivatisation can result in less efficient syntheses, poor catalyst turnover and isomerisation. Temporary amine masking via stable and soluble ammonium salts delivers cyclic and acyclic aminoalkenes in high yield and purity.

The quaternary ammonium Hoveyda—Grubbs olefin metathesis pre-catalyst affecting the ring closing metathesis of diethyl diallylmalonate (I) is readily accessed in one step from second generation Grubbs catalyst and immobilized onto magnetically separable nanosized iron oxide particles.

Masking of a primary amine group as a stable ammonium salt enable olefin metathesis to proceed in good to excellent yields without olefin isomerization.

An olefination approach to the construction of covalently linked cyclic metalloporphyrin trimers is presented using fullerenes such as C(60) or C(70) as a template. Yields of the trimer approach 60%. In the absence of a template, the major product is the cyclic dimer (50% yield) with only a small amount of trimer (10%) formed, indicating this is a template-directed approach.

An approach to the formation of molecular timepieces is outlined based on differentiating between rotamers in diaxial Sn(IV) porphyrin phenolates. Two models are explored in detail. The first explores how the rates of rotation of the diaxial ligands is discriminated based on steric hindrance of the two porphyrin macrocycle faces at low temperature. The second model explores a ‘stopwatch’ function based on the ligation of Ag(I) ions to a 5,15-dipyridylporphyrinato tin(IV) complex bearing 3-hydroxypyridine ligands. The complexation inhibits rotation of the axial ligand, a result, which can be reversed by precipitation of Ag(I) using tetraethylammonium bromide. X-ray crystallography has also been used to characterize two Ag(I) 5,15-dipyridylporphyrinato tin(IV)complexes. The two isoforms differ in their supramolecular organization. One structure is formed through a cofacial stack linking each porphyrin by Ag(I) coordination. The other displays a sheet-like coordination polymer structure.

An overview of the evolution of artificial photosynthetic charge transfer systems containing porphyrin donors and pyromellitic or naphthalene diimide acceptor units is presented. Progression in this area of research is highlighted by the complexity of the systems, the nature of the medium separating donor and acceptor as well as the progression in the lifetime of the charge-separated state upon photoexcitation. A number of supramolecular systems that utilize hydrogen bonding or axial ligation of zinc porphyrins as a means for spatial orientation are highlighted.

Selective cross-metathesis of type I and type II meso-functionalized porphyrin olefins afforded alkenyl-coupled dimeric and trimeric porphyrin systems in good yield with excellent E/Z selectivity. The synthetic utility of the method is demonstrated through the preparation of mixed metalated (M = 2H, Zn) porphyrin dimer and trimer. [reaction: see text]

The synthesis and fluorescence properties of a naphthalenediimide ditosylate are presented. The fluorescence is highly solvent and morphology dependent with a dramatic change in fluorescence output occurring following melting from a crystalline form. This observation is attributed to thermal disruption of the crystal structure allowing the formation of emissive dimers within the amorphous melt.

The synthesis of a porphyrin star-pentamer bearing a free-base porphyrin core and four zinc(ii) metalloporphyrins, which are tethered by a conformationally flexible linker about the central porphyrin’s antipody, is described. The synthetic strategy is highlighted by the use of olefin cross metathesis to link the five chromophores together in a directed fashion in high yield. Photoexcitation into the Soret absorption band of the zinc porphyrin chromophores at 425 nm leads to a substantial enhancement of central free-base porphyrin fluorescence, indicating energy transfer from the photoexcited zinc porphyrin (outer periphery) to central free-base porphyrin. Time-resolved fluorescence decay profiles required three exponential decay components for satisfactory fitting. These are attributed to emission from the central free-base porphyrin and to two different rates of energy transfer from the zinc porphyrins to the free-base porphyrin. The faster of these decay components equates to an energy-transfer rate constant of 3.7 × 109 s–1 and an efficiency of 83%, whereas the other is essentially unquenched with respect to reported values for zinc porphyrin fluorescence decay times. The relative contribution of these two components to the initial fluorescence decay is ~3:2, similar to the 5:4 ratio of cis and trans geometric isomers present in the pentamer.

The supramolecular assembly formed in the solid-state by the interaction of dihydroxy tin(IV) tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (TPyP) with water is discussed. The resulting pseudo two-dimensional array of water molecules are ordered into helical chains by hydrogen bonding between neighboring water molecules along the chain as well as hydrogen bonding between water molecules and the axial hydroxyl and pyridyl groups of the tin(IV) porphyrin.

A macrocyclic porphyrin tetramer was prepared in 52% yield by olefin metathesis employing a 5,10,15,20-tetrapyridylporphyrin template.

Naphthalene diimides 1–4 having different N,N-disubstitution undergo single electron reduction processes either chemically or electrochemically to yield the corresponding radical anion in high yield. This study concentrates on 1, bearing pentyl side chains connected through the diimide nitrogens, and compares the results obtained against those bearing isopropyl, propargyl, and phenylalanyl side chains. Compound 1 exhibits mirror image absorption and fluorescence in the near-UV region in CH2Cl2 and dimethylformamide that is typical of monomeric N,N-dialkyl-substituted naphthalene diimides. In toluene, excimer-like emission is observed, which suggests ground-state complexes involving 1 are formed. X-Ray crystallography has been used to characterize 1 in the solid state. Cyclic voltammetry enables the reversible potentials for [NDI]0/– and [NDI]−/2– type processes to be measured. Bulk one-electron reduction of 1–4 is characterized by dramatic changes in the absorption and emission spectra. Additionally, highly structured EPR (electron paramagnetic resonance) signals from dimethylformamide solutions of the radical anions of 1–3 have been obtained and are consistent with coupling between the unpaired electron and the naphthalene diimide nitrogens and hydrogens and the NCH hydrogens of the appropriate side chains. The overall structure of the EPR spectrum is substituent-dependent. These changes in spectroscopic output upon an electronic input may be described as a simple ‘on/off’ switching mechanism with which to apply a ‘bottom-up’ approach to molecular device manufacture.