IChO 2019 · Theory problem 7

Ring motion in a [2]catenane

In 2016, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to J.-P. Sauvage, Sir J. F. Stoddart and B. L. Feringa “for the design and synthesis of molecular machines”. An example of these is [2]catenane, a molecule consisting of two interlocked rings. In this system, one macrocycle contains a single phenanthroline (bidentate) ligand and the second contains two ligands: a phenanthroline and a terpyridine (tridentate) ligand. A copper ion is coordinated by one ligand from each macrocycle. Depending on the oxidation state of the copper (+I or +II), two configurations are obtained (Fig. 1).

Figure 1

Fig. 1 – Multi-stability of a ring in a [2]catenane.

The synthesis of the macrocycle is the following:

Figure 2

7.1 Draw the structure of B.

7.2 Draw the structures of E, F and G.

7.3 Out of the following reaction conditions, choose which one(s) can produce E from D.

  • ☐ \(\ce{H+, H2O}\)
  • ☐ \(\ce{OH-, H2O}\)
  • ☐ \(\ce{NaBH4, CH3OH}\)
  • ☐ \(\ce{H2}\), Pd/C, THF

Tick the relevant box.

7.4 In the synthetic strategy, MsCl is used to obtain:

  • ☐ a leaving group
  • ☐ a protecting group
  • ☐ a deactivated group
  • ☐ a directing group

Tick the relevant box.

7.5 G is obtained by the reaction between F and LiBr in acetone. This reaction is:

  • ☐ electrophilic aromatic substitution,
  • ☐ nucleophilic aromatic substitution,
  • ☐ \(\mathrm{S_N1}\)
  • ☐ \(\mathrm{S_N2}\)

Tick the relevant boxes.

7.6 Draw the transition state of the rate-determining step of the reaction F → G, showing the 3D geometry. Depict only one reaction center. The main carbon chain can be represented as an R group.

The synthesis of [2]catenane L uses the template effect of a copper complex:

Figure 3
Figure 4

7.7 Write the full electronic configuration of Cu(0) in its ground state. Give the oxidation state of Cu in complex J and write the electronic configuration of Cu in the free ion corresponding to J.

7.8 Select the geometry of the copper ion in L. Assuming an ideal geometry of the ligands around the copper center, draw the electronic levels of the d-orbitals in accord with the crystal field theory. Fill the orbital diagram. Give the maximum value of the spin (\(S\)) for this complex. The geometry of the Cu in L is:

  • ☐ octahedral,
  • ☐ tetrahedral,
  • ☐ square planar,
  • ☐ trigonal bipyramidal.

7.9 Out of the following compounds, choose the one(s) that can remove the copper ion in L to obtain the free [2]catenane (tick relevant boxes):

  • ☐ \(\ce{CH3CN}\)
  • ☐ \(\ce{NH4PF6}\)
  • ☐ \(\ce{KCN}\)
  • ☐ tren

In [2]catenane L, the copper ion can exist in two oxidation states (+I) or (+II), and each of them exhibits a different coordination sphere (tetra- or penta-coordinated, respectively).

Figure 5
Figure 6

Fig. 2 – [2] catenate L states

The stability of Cu(I) complexes can be inferred by comparing their electronic structures to that of a noble gas.

7.10 Fill in the blanks with a number or a tick:

  • The \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\) complex has ☐ (number) electrons in the coordination sphere of the metal.
  • The \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\) complex has ☐ (number) electrons in the coordination sphere of the metal.
  • The \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\) complex is (tick):

☐ more stable than the \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\) complex or
☐ less stable than the \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\) complex.

7.11 Fill in the solid boxes with the designation of the involved complexes in Fig. 2 and complete the sequence to achieve electrochemical control of the system using the following notation for the dashed boxes:

Figure 7

(rotation) ; \(+\ce{e-}\) ; \(−\ce{e-}\).

Official English text of the problem.

Answers

Here, terpyridine means the \(2,2':6',2''\)-terpyridine framework. SMILES are given at the first identification of each requested structure; subsequent letter labels refer to those structures.

  • 7.1 — B: The dilithium derivative of A, with both methyl substituents converted into \(\ce{-CH2-}\) carbanions: 5,5″-bis(lithiomethyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine.
    SMILES: [Li+].[Li+].[CH2-]c1ccc(-c2cccc(-c3ccc([CH2-])cn3)n2)nc1

  • 7.2 — E, F and G:

  • E: 5,5″-Bis(3-hydroxypropyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine.
    SMILES: OCCCc1ccc(-c2cccc(-c3ccc(CCCO)cn3)n2)nc1
  • F: 5,5″-Bis[3-(methanesulfonyloxy)propyl]-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine.
    SMILES: CS(=O)(=O)OCCCc1ccc(-c2cccc(-c3ccc(CCCOS(=O)(=O)C)cn3)n2)nc1
  • G: 5,5″-Bis(3-bromopropyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine.
    SMILES: BrCCCc1ccc(-c2cccc(-c3ccc(CCCBr)cn3)n2)nc1

  • 7.3: Select \(\ce{H+, H2O}\) only: aqueous acid removes the THP protecting groups.

  • 7.4: Select a leaving group.

  • 7.5: Select \(\mathrm{S_N2}\) only.

  • 7.6: Draw an \(\mathrm{S_N2}\) transition state with Br···C···O collinear, partially formed \(\ce{C-Br}\) and partially broken \(\ce{C-O}\) bonds. The carbon’s \(\ce{R}\), \(\ce{H}\), and \(\ce{H}\) substituents lie in a plane perpendicular to that axis.

  • 7.7: Copper atom, [Cu]: \[ 1s^2\,2s^2\,2p^6\,3s^2\,3p^6\,3d^{10}\,4s^1. \] Copper in J is +I. The free copper(I) ion, [Cu+], has: \[ 1s^2\,2s^2\,2p^6\,3s^2\,3p^6\,3d^{10}. \]

  • 7.8: Tetrahedral; lower \(e\) orbitals and upper \(t_2\) orbitals, occupied as \(e^4t_2^6\). Every d orbital is doubly occupied; \(S_{\max}=0\).

  • 7.9: Select KCN and tren:

  • Potassium cyanide: [K+].[C-]#N
  • Tris(2-aminoethyl)amine, tren: NCCN(CCN)CCN

  • 7.10: 18 electrons, 20 electrons, and \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\) is more stable. The corresponding effective atomic numbers, including the metal’s core electrons, are 36 and 38.

  • 7.11: The cycle is \[ \boxed{\ce{Cu^{I}N4}} \xrightarrow{-\,\ce{e-}} \boxed{\ce{Cu^{II}N4}} \xrightarrow{\text{rotation}} \boxed{\ce{Cu^{II}N5}} \xrightarrow{+\,\ce{e-}} \boxed{\ce{Cu^{I}N5}} \xrightarrow{\text{rotation}} \boxed{\ce{Cu^{I}N4}}. \]

Solution

7.1 — Formation and structure of B

Compound A is 5,5″-dimethyl-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, SMILES
Cc1ccc(-c2cccc(-c3ccc(C)cn3)n2)nc1.

Lithium diisopropylamide, LDA, is a strong, sterically hindered base:
[Li+].CC(C)[N-]C(C)C.

Each equivalent removes one proton from one of the methyl substituents. With two equivalents, both methyl groups become pyridylmethyl carbanions:

\[ \ce{A + 2LiN(iPr)2 -> B + 2HN(iPr)2}. \]

The conjugate acid is diisopropylamine, CC(C)NC(C)C.

To draw B, retain all three pyridine rings and their connections exactly as in A, and replace each \(\ce{-CH3}\) group by \(\ce{-CH2^-}\). Include two \(\ce{Li+}\) counterions. The ionic SMILES in the Answers does not specify lithium coordination or aggregation.

The electrophile C is 2-(2-bromoethoxy)tetrahydro-2H-pyran,
BrCCOC1CCCCO1.

Each carbanion attacks its primary brominated carbon:

\[ \ce{B + 2BrCH2CH2OTHP -> D + 2LiBr}. \]

Consequently, each arm in D is

\[ \ce{terpyridyl-CH2-CH2-CH2-O-THP}. \]

The original methyl carbon supplies the first methylene; C supplies the next two.


7.2 — Structures of E, F and G

The terpyridine skeleton and the two three-carbon side chains remain unchanged throughout these transformations. Only the terminal functional groups change:

Compound Each substituent at positions 5 and 5″ Molecular formula
E \(\ce{-CH2CH2CH2OH}\) \(\ce{C21H23N3O2}\)
F \(\ce{-CH2CH2CH2OS(=O)2CH3}\) \(\ce{C23H27N3O6S2}\)
G \(\ce{-CH2CH2CH2Br}\) \(\ce{C21H21Br2N3}\)

Thus:

  1. Removing the THP groups gives the diol E.
  2. Mesylating both alcohol groups gives the dimesylate F.
  3. Replacing both mesylate groups with bromide gives the dibromide G.

As a consistency check, converting each alcohol to a mesylate adds a net \(\ce{CH2O2S}\). Therefore,

\[ \ce{C21H23N3O2 + 2(CH2O2S) = C23H27N3O6S2}, \]

which matches the formula printed for F.


7.3 — Conditions for D → E

Compound D is 5,5″-bis[3-(tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy)propyl]-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, SMILES
c1cc(-c2ccc(CCCOC3CCCCO3)cn2)nc(-c2ccc(CCCOC3CCCCO3)cn2)c1.

Its THP ethers are acetals. Acetals undergo acid-catalysed hydrolysis, regenerating the protected alcohols. Select:

\[ \boxed{\ce{H+, H2O}}. \]

Here the proton is [H+] and water is O.

A balanced equation, writing the THP-derived product in its open-chain form, is

\[ \ce{D + 2H2O ->[H+] E + 2HO(CH2)4CHO}. \]

The coproduct is 5-hydroxypentanal, O=CCCCCO, which can equilibrate with its cyclic hemiacetal.

The other listed conditions do not perform the required deprotection:

  • Aqueous hydroxide does not normally hydrolyse an acetal.
  • Sodium borohydride in methanol does not cleave these THP acetals.
  • Hydrogen with Pd/C is not the appropriate hydrogenolysis method for THP ethers.

No absolute configuration is specified at the THP acetal carbons in the problem, so the corresponding SMILES leave that stereochemistry unspecified.


7.4 — Role of MsCl

Methanesulfonyl chloride, or mesyl chloride, is CS(=O)(=O)Cl. It converts each alcohol into a methanesulfonate ester:

\[ \ce{E + 2CH3SO2Cl + 2Et3N -> F + 2Et3NHCl}. \]

Triethylamine, CCN(CC)CC, accepts the protons and gives triethylammonium chloride, CC[NH+](CC)CC.[Cl-].

The conversion replaces a poor leaving group, hydroxide, with a good leaving group, methanesulfonate, also called mesylate, CS(=O)(=O)[O-].

The correct choice is therefore a leaving group.


7.5 — Mechanism of F → G

Lithium bromide, [Li+].[Br-], supplies bromide ions, [Br-]. Bromide attacks the primary carbon bearing the mesylate group and displaces mesylate:

\[ \ce{F + 2LiBr -> G + 2LiOSO2CH3}. \]

The salt byproduct is lithium methanesulfonate,
[Li+].CS(=O)(=O)[O-].

This is an \(\mathrm{S_N2}\) reaction because:

  • substitution occurs at a primary, saturated carbon;
  • bromide is a nucleophile;
  • mesylate is a good leaving group;
  • acetone, CC(=O)C, is a polar aprotic solvent favourable for this substitution.

The reacting carbon is not aromatic, and formation of a primary carbocation is unnecessary.


7.6 — Transition state and its three-dimensional geometry

For one reaction centre, write the substrate as \(\ce{RCH2OMs}\), a primary alkyl methanesulfonate, with generic SMILES *COS(=O)(=O)C. The asterisk represents the remainder of the molecule.

The single concerted substitution step is

\[ \ce{Br- + RCH2OSO2CH3 -> RCH2Br + CH3SO3-}. \]

The corresponding primary alkyl bromide has generic SMILES *CBr.

A schematic transition state is

\[ \left[ \ce{Br^{\delta-}} \;\cdots\; \ce{C(H)2(R)} \;\cdots\; \ce{O^{\delta-}S(=O)2CH3} \right]^{\ddagger-}. \]

The required drawing should show:

  • The incoming bromide and departing oxygen on opposite sides of carbon, with \[ \angle\ce{Br-C-O}=180^\circ. \]
  • Dashed or dotted axial bonds for the forming \(\ce{C-Br}\) bond and breaking \(\ce{C-O}\) bond.
  • The three remaining substituents, \(\ce{R}\), \(\ce{H}\), and \(\ce{H}\), approximately \(120^\circ\) apart in a plane perpendicular to the attack axis.
  • An overall charge of \(-1\) and a transition-state double dagger.

For a perspective drawing, place the attack axis horizontally, use an ordinary bond to \(\ce{R}\), and use a solid wedge and a hashed wedge for the two hydrogen bonds.

Electron flow is from a bromide lone pair to carbon, while the \(\ce{C-O}\) bonding pair moves onto the departing oxygen. Ordinary SMILES cannot encode the fractional bonds of this transition state. Backside attack produces inversion of the local tetrahedral arrangement, although this particular carbon is not stereogenic because it bears two hydrogens.


7.7 — Copper configurations and oxidation state in J

Copper has atomic number 29. Its ground-state configuration is

\[ \ce{Cu}:\qquad 1s^2\,2s^2\,2p^6\,3s^2\,3p^6\,3d^{10}\,4s^1. \]

Thus the ground state is \([\mathrm{Ar}]\,3d^{10}4s^1\), rather than \([\mathrm{Ar}]\,3d^94s^2\).

The nitrogen donors in J are neutral, and the complex is singly positively charged. Therefore,

\[ \boxed{\text{oxidation state of copper in J}=+\mathrm I}. \]

Ionisation removes the \(4s\) electron:

\[ \ce{Cu -> Cu+ + e-}. \]

The free copper(I) ion consequently has

\[ \ce{Cu+}:\qquad 1s^2\,2s^2\,2p^6\,3s^2\,3p^6\,3d^{10}. \]


7.8 — Geometry, crystal-field splitting and spin

In L, copper(I) binds two bidentate phenanthroline sites, giving four nitrogen donors. Its approximately tetrahedral coordination is idealised as \(T_d\) for the requested orbital diagram.

In a tetrahedral field, the \(e\) pair lies below the \(t_2\) triplet:

Level Orbitals Energy relative to the barycentre Occupation
Higher \(t_2\) \(d_{xy},d_{xz},d_{yz}\) \(+\frac25\Delta_t\) \(\uparrow\downarrow\;\;\uparrow\downarrow\;\;\uparrow\downarrow\)
Lower \(e\) \(d_{z^2},d_{x^2-y^2}\) \(-\frac35\Delta_t\) \(\uparrow\downarrow\;\;\uparrow\downarrow\)

To draw the diagram, put two degenerate horizontal lines below three degenerate horizontal lines, and place two opposite-spin electrons on every line:

\[ d^{10}=e^4t_2^6. \]

All electrons are paired, so

\[ \boxed{S_{\max}=0}. \]


7.9 — Removal of copper

Select potassium cyanide and tren.

Cyanide forms very stable copper(I) complexes and competes effectively with the catenane’s nitrogen donors. Tren—tris(2-aminoethyl)amine—is a tetradentate ligand that can sequester copper through chelation.

Let \(\mathrm{Cat}\) denote the neutral, mechanically interlocked catenane. Representative ligand-displacement equations are

\[ \ce{[Cu(Cat)]+ + 2CN- -> Cat + [Cu(CN)2]-} \]

and

\[ \ce{[Cu(Cat)]+ + tren -> Cat + [Cu(tren)]+}. \]

The exact cyanide coordination number can depend on cyanide concentration; the first equation illustrates formation of dicyanidocuprate(I). Its component SMILES is [Cu+].[C-]#N.[C-]#N, with two carbon-bound cyanide ligands.

The copper(I)–tren complex has component SMILES [Cu+].NCCN(CCN)CCN, with nitrogen coordination supplied by tren.

Acetonitrile, CC#N, is insufficiently competitive against the chelating catenane under the intended conditions. Ammonium hexafluorophosphate, [NH4+].F[P-](F)(F)(F)(F)F, does not provide a suitable copper-sequestering ligand.

Removing copper does not separate the two closed rings: their mechanical interlocking remains.


7.10 — Electron counts and relative stability

Copper(I) supplies ten d electrons. Each neutral nitrogen donor contributes one lone pair, or two electrons.

For the four-coordinate state,

\[ N_e\!\left(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\right) =10+4(2) =\boxed{18}. \]

For the five-coordinate state,

\[ N_e\!\left(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\right) =10+5(2) =\boxed{20}. \]

Including the metal’s 18 core electrons gives effective atomic numbers

\[ 18+18=36 \]

and

\[ 18+20=38, \]

respectively. The first corresponds to krypton.

Within the electron-counting argument requested in the problem, the four-coordinate copper(I) state attains the favourable 18-electron count. Hence,

\[ \boxed{\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\text{ is more stable than }\ce{Cu^{I}N5}}. \]


7.11 — Electrochemically controlled cycle

Electron transfer changes the oxidation state first. Subsequent relative rotation of the rings changes which binding site coordinates copper.

Step Starting state Operation Result
1 \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\) Remove one electron \(\ce{Cu^{II}N4}\)
2 \(\ce{Cu^{II}N4}\) Ring rotation \(\ce{Cu^{II}N5}\)
3 \(\ce{Cu^{II}N5}\) Add one electron \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\)
4 \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\) Ring rotation \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\)

The balanced electron-transfer steps, with \(\mathrm{Cat}\) denoting the unchanged catenane framework, are

\[ \ce{[Cu(Cat)]+ -> [Cu(Cat)]^2+ + e-} \]

and

\[ \ce{[Cu(Cat)]^2+ + e- -> [Cu(Cat)]+}. \]

The donor sets are:

  • N4: one phenanthroline from each macrocycle, giving \(2+2=4\) nitrogen donors.
  • N5: the phenanthroline of the smaller macrocycle and the terpyridine of the larger macrocycle, giving \(2+3=5\) nitrogen donors.

The N4 and N5 labels count coordinated nitrogen atoms; the molecular framework does not gain or lose nitrogen during rotation.

For the requested complex identifications, the following component SMILES specify the complete covalent ring structures and copper charge. Cu–N coordination is specified by the donor descriptions above. Mechanical interlocking and relative ring conformations are not encoded by these strings.

Copper(I) [2]catenane, encompassing the \(\ce{Cu^{I}N4}\) and \(\ce{Cu^{I}N5}\) coordination states:

[Cu+].O1CCCc2ccc(-c3cccc(-c4ccc(CCCOc5ccc(-c6ccc7ccc8ccc(-c9ccc1cc9)nc8c7n6)cc5)cn4)n3)nc2.O1CCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOc2ccc(-c3ccc4ccc5ccc(-c6ccc1cc6)nc5c4n3)cc2

Copper(II) [2]catenane, encompassing the \(\ce{Cu^{II}N4}\) and \(\ce{Cu^{II}N5}\) coordination states:

[Cu+2].O1CCCc2ccc(-c3cccc(-c4ccc(CCCOc5ccc(-c6ccc7ccc8ccc(-c9ccc1cc9)nc8c7n6)cc5)cn4)n3)nc2.O1CCOCCOCCOCCOCCOCCOc2ccc(-c3ccc4ccc5ccc(-c6ccc1cc6)nc5c4n3)cc2

In each case the two organic components must be understood as mechanically interlocked, not as separate, freely separable molecules.

The answers were checked against the official answers published by the organisers.