Design, formation and properties of tetrahedral M(4)L(4) and M(4)L(6) supramolecular clusters.

The rigid tris- and bis(catecholamide) ligands H(6)A, H(4)B and H(4)C form tetrahedral clusters of the type M(4)L(4) and M(4)L(6) through self-assembly reactions with tri- and tetravalent metal ions such as Ga(III), Fe(III), Ti(IV) and Sn(IV). General design principles for the synthesis of such clusters are presented with an emphasis on geometric requirements and kinetic and thermodynamic considerations. The solution and solid-state characterization of these complexes is presented, and their dynamic solution behavior is described. The tris-catecholamide H(6)A forms M(4)L(4) tetrahedra with Ga(III), Ti(IV), and Sn(IV); (Et(3)N)(8)[Ti(4)A(4)] crystallizes in R3(-)c (No. 167), with a = 22.6143(5) A, c = 106.038(2) A. The cluster is a racemic mixture of homoconfigurational tetrahedra (all Delta or all Lambda at the metal centers within a given cluster). Though the synthetic procedure for synthesis of the cluster is markedly metal-dependent, extensive electrospray mass spectrometry investigations show that the M(4)A(4) (M = Ga(III), Ti(IV), and Sn(IV)) clusters are remarkably stable once formed. Two approaches are presented for the formation of M(4)L(6) tetrahedral clusters. Of the bis(catecholamide) ligands, H(4)B forms an M(4)L(6) tetrahedron (M = Ga(III)) based on an "edge-on" design, while H(4)C forms an M(4)L(6) tetrahedron (M = Ga(III), Fe(III)) based on a "face-on" strategy. K(5)[Et(4)N](7)[Fe(4)C(6)] crystallizes in I43(-)d (No. 220) with a = 43.706(8) A. This M(4)L(6) tetrahedral cluster is also a racemic mixture of homoconfigurational tetrahedra and has a cavity large enough to encapsulate a molecule of Et(4)N(+). This host-guest interaction is maintained in solution as revealed by NMR investigations of the Ga(III) complex.