We have reported here, for the first time, the parallel and perpendicular orientation preferences of two planar and unhindered imidazoles as axial ligands (L) while coordinated toward iron(III) and iron(II) porphyrins, respectively, in a nonplanar porphyrinic environment. The synthesis and characterization of low-spin Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(L)(2) x ClO(4) and Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(L)(2) are reported. Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(L)(2) x ClO(4) shows rhombic electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra (at 77 K) in both solid and solution phases that are very characteristic for low-spin (S = 1/2) iron porphyrins with two axial imidazole ligands aligned parallel to each other. Single-point energy calculation is also performed on Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2)(+) using density functional theory (DFT), which shows that the relative parallel orientations of two 1-MeIm are more stable than the perpendicular orientations. X-ray structures of Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2) and Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2).THF are reported that demonstrate, for the first time, the near-perpendicular axial ligand orientation (80.9 and 89.8 degrees, respectively) for iron(II) porphyrins in a distorted macrocyclic environment. Even starting from parallel axial orientations of 1-MeIm, geometry optimization using DFT converged well to the perpendicular axial alignment with a 82.54 degree dihedral angle, which is in close agreement with experiment. This is in sharp contrast to all earlier reports, in which sterically crowded imidazole (such as 2-MeIm) or a nearly planar porphyrin core with a "picket fence" environment that restricts the rotation of the axial ligands is required for perpendicular orientation. Electrochemical data obtained from a cyclic voltammetric study for Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(L)(2) reveal one-electron oxidation at very high positive potential, which readily explains why the complexes are so stable in air. Bulk oxidation of Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2) at a constant potential of 0.69 V in dichloromethane with 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium perchlorate as the supporting electrolyte generates Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2) x ClO(4), which has the same EPR spectrum and which upon reduction at 0.29 V regenerates Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(1-MeIm)(2) again. Thus, we have demonstrated here, for the first time, that iron(II) and iron(III) porphyrinates with two planar and unhindered axial imidazoles have different orientation preferences in a nonplanar porphyrinic environment.

A rare family of five and six-coordinated high-spin Fe(III) porphyrins incorporating weak axial ligands are synthesized and structurally characterized which demonstrate, for the first time, stepwise metal displacements in a single distorted macrocyclic environment that has generally been seen in many biological systems. The introduction of four nitro groups into the meso-positions of octaethyl porphyrin severely distorts the porphyrin geometry and provides an interesting modulation of the macrocycle properties which enables the facile isolation of "pure" high-spin Fe(III)(tn-OEP)Cl, Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(MeOH)Cl, and Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(H2O)2(+) in excellent yields in a saddle distorted macrocyclic environment that are known to stabilize intermediate spin states. The stepwise out-of-plane displacements of iron are as follows: 0.47 A for Fe(III)(tn-OEP)Cl; 0.09 A for Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(MeOH)Cl, and 0.01 A for Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(H2O)2(+) from the mean plane of the porphyrins. However, in both five and six-coordinated Fe(III) porphyrins, the Fe-Np distances are quite comparable while the porphyrin cores have expanded significantly, virtually to the same extent for the six-coordinate complexes reported here. The large size of the high-spin iron(III) atom in Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(H2O)2(+) is accommodated perfectly with no displacement of the metal. This expansion is accompanied by a significant decrease of the saddle distortion with a clear increase of the ruffling. Furthermore, the Fe atom in Fe(III)(tn-OEP)(MeOH)Cl is not out of plane because of the larger atom size; however, the displacement of the iron depends on both the relative strength of the axial ligands, as well as the nature and extent of the ring deformation. Our characterization demonstrates that increase in ruffling and/or decrease in macrocycle deformation brings the iron atom more into the plane in a distorted macrocyclic environment. Our observations thus suggest that the displacements of iron in proteins are the consequences of nonequivalent axial coordination, as well as protein induced deformations at the heme. The high-spin nature of the complexes reported here is believed to be due to the larger Fe-Np distances which then reduce substantially the interaction between iron d(x2)-y2 and porphyrin a(2u) orbital. The Fe(III)/Fe(II) reduction potential of Fe(III)(tn-OEP)Cl shows a reversible peak at large positive value (0.20 V), and no ring-centered oxidation was observed within the solvent limit (approximately 1.80 V). It is thus easier to reduce Fe(III)(tn-OEP)Cl by almost 700 mV compared to Fe(III)(OEP)Cl while oxidations are very difficult. Furthermore, the addition of 3-Cl-pyridine to Fe(III)(tn-OEP)Cl in air undergoes spontaneous auto reduction to produce the rare air-stable Fe(II)(tn-OEP)(3-Cl-py)2 that shows Fe(II)/Fe(III) oxidation peaks at high positive potential (0.79 V), which is approximately 600 mV more anodic compared to [Fe(II)(tn-OEP)Cl](-). This large anodic shift illustrates the effective removal of metal-centered electron density by the macrocycle when...

The encapsulation of tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and fluorescent probe acridinium ions (AcH(+)) by diethylpyrrole-bridged bisporphyrin (H(4)DEP) was used to investigate the structural and spectroscopic changes within the bisporphyrin cavity upon substrate binding. X-ray diffraction studies of the bisporphyrin host (H(4)DEP) and the encapsulated host-guest complexes (H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4)) are reported. Negative and positive shifts of the reduction and oxidation potentials, respectively, indicated that it was difficult to reduce/oxidize the encapsulated complexes. The emission intensities of bisporphyrin, upon excitation at 560 nm, were quenched by about 65 % and 95 % in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4), respectively, owing to photoinduced electron transfer from the excited state of the bisporphyrin to TCNQ/AcH(+); this result was also supported by DFT calculations. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity of encapsulated AcH(+) (excited at 340 nm) was also remarkably quenched compared to the free ions, owing to photoinduced singlet-to-singlet energy transfer from AcH(+) to bisporphyrin. Thus, AcH(+) acted as both an acceptor and a donor, depending on which part of the chromophore was excited in the host-guest complex. The electrochemically evaluated HOMO-LUMO gap was 0.71 and 1.42 eV in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ and [H(4)DEP⋅AcH]ClO(4), respectively, whilst the gap was 2.12 eV in H(4)DEP. The extremely low HOMO-LUMO gap in H(4)DEP⋅TCNQ led to facile electron transfer from the host to the guest, which was manifested in the lowering of the CN stretching frequency (in the solid state) in the IR spectra, a strong radical signal in the EPR spectra at 77 K, and also the presence of low-energy bands in the UV/Vis spectra (in the solution phase). Such an efficient transfer was only possible when the donor and acceptor moieties were in close proximity to one another.

A diethylpyrrole-bridged dizinc(II) bisporphyrin (Zn(2)DEP) is reported that encapsulates fluorescent probe pyrene molecules through strong π-π interactions, which can relay information about the chemical environment in the interior of the host-guest supramolecular assembly. X-ray structures of both Zn(2)DEP and the encapsulated pyrene complex are reported, which provides a rare opportunity to investigate the structural changes upon guest binding. A comparative structural analysis demonstrated the exceptional ability of this bisporphyrin platform to open its binding pocket for pyrene encapsulation by a vertical displacement of more than 2.45 Å, although both Zn(2)DEP and the pyrene complex have nearly parallel porphyrin ring orientations. The (1)H NMR spectrum of the encapsulated pyrene complex in solution shows the upfield shifts of the pyrene protons due to a strong ring current effect, which demonstrates the retention of the solid-state structure in solution. To further assess the extent to which pyrene guests remain encapsulated in solution, a known fluorescence quencher, dimethylaniline, was added to the host-guest assembly, which shows no exciplex formation for days in nonpolar solvents. Thus, the assembly also retained the structural integrity in solution for a long time. The association constant (K(asso)) for such a complexation process in solution was observed to be 1.78×10(5) M(-2) for 1:2 binding. Steady-state fluorescence and lifetime studies indicate significant photoinduced singlet-singlet energy transformation from the excited state of pyrene to zinc bisporphyrin.

Wheel-and-axle topology-driven halogen bonded supramolecular networks in six-coordinated Sn(iv)-porphyrins.

A new fused core-modified 32π heptaphyrin with Möbius aromatic character is reported. The (1)H NMR data indicated a weak Möbius aromaticity at 298 K; however, at 213-183 K, the molecule predominates [4n]π Möbius conformation with strong diatropic ring current, which was further confirmed by X-ray analysis. The protonation experiment led to preservation of the Möbius aromaticity at 298 K. Nevertheless, the experimental results were further supported by theoretical studies. Overall, this study represents the first example of Möbius aromatic fused core-modified expanded porphyrin.

Cutting carbons: The three‐dimensional structure of polyneuridine aldehyde esterase (PNAE) gives insight into the enzymatic mechanism of the biosynthesis of C9‐ from C10‐monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (see scheme). PNAE is a very substrate‐specific serine esterase. It harbors the catalytic triad S87‐D216‐H244, and is a new member of the α/β‐fold hydrolase superfamily. Its novel function leads to the diversification of alkaloid structures.

In this study, we report the first example of polymorphic Sn­(IV)-tetrapyridyl porphyrins axially armed with halogen (Cl, Br)-substituted carboxyphenyl ligands (structural formula [Sn­(tPyP)2+­(A−)2], where A is the axial ligand = 3,5-dichloro/dibromo benzoic acid). The two polymorphs of chloro-substituted Sn­(IV)-tetrapyridyl porphyrin (1α and 1β) display distinct photophysical and morphological properties in the solid state. X-ray diffraction study reveals that these polymorphs 1α and 1β greatly differ in supramolecular architecture and noncovalent interactions, which is responsible for their distinct solid-state properties. Molecules of the two polymorphs adopt different conformations of the axial carboxyphenyl ligand. Crystal packing of these polymorphs are dominated by intermolecular C–H···Npyridine, C–H···O, C–H···π, and Cl···Npyridin interactions. Theoretical study showed that the energy difference between the two polymorphs is ∼8 kcal/mol. In addition to these polymorphs, a reference compound 2 with an axial bromo-substituted carboxyphenyl ligand is also synthesized and structurally characterized.