‘Two-point’-bound supramolecular complexes from semi-rigidified dipyridine receptors and zinc porphyrins

Abstract: Two linear compounds 1 and 2 have been designed and synthesized as new receptors for zinc porphyrins. Both compounds consist of two folded aromatic amide moieties, which are connected with an acetylene linker in 1 or directly in 2. The rigid conformations of their folded moieties are stabilized by intramolecular tri-centered hydrogen bonding, while the whole molecule adopts a ‘S’- or ‘C’-styled conformation depending on the relative orientation of the two rigid moieties. Two pyridine units are introduced at the ends of 1 and 2 for the complexation of zinc porphyrin guests. Although the 1H NMR investigation indicated that both compounds can bind two zinc porphyrin guests at high concentrations (≥5mM) in chloroform, the UV–vis studies revealed that, at low concentration of 1 and 2 (4μM), both compounds complex one zinc porphyrin guest to form structurally unique ‘two-point’-bound 1:1 complexes. The association constants of the 1:1 complexes have been determined with the UV–vis titration experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]