A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Circular Dichroism of Staggered and Eclipsed Forms of Dimethoxy[2.2]-, [3.2]-, and [3.3]Pyridinophanes and Their Protonated Forms

The circular dichroisms (CDs) of dimethoxy[2.2]-, [3.2]-, and [3.3]pyridinophanes and their protonated forms were investigated experimentally and theoretically. Characteristic multisignate Cotton effects (CEs), typical for planar chiral cyclophane derivatives, were observed. The CD spectral pattern was quite comparable for the staggered forms of [2.2]-, [3.2]-, and [3.3]cyclophanes, but significantly differed for the eclipsed forms. More interestingly, the patterns resembled, but the CE signs were practically opposite between staggered and eclipsed [2.2]pyridinophanes. Upon protonation, the signs of most CEs were inverted in both forms of cyclophanes, due to the reversal of dipole moment in the pyridine against the pyridinium moiety. Such a change in CD spectrum upon protonation was not apparent in [3.2]pyridinophane, and the CD spectral behavior was more complex in [3.3]pyridinophanes. The variation of CD caused by the protonation/deprotonation process was temperature-dependent and hence utilized as a thermal sensor. The protonated forms of the homologous pyridinophanes with different tether lengths in staggered and eclipsed forms served as a model system for systematically studying the cation−π interaction and its effects on chiroptical properties. A steady increase of electronic interaction became apparent for the smaller-sized cyclophanes from the increased excitation energy and electronic coupling element of the charge-transfer (CT) band, while the observed CE at the CT band was a more complex function of the original transition dipole of donor/acceptor pair and linker atoms, as well as the strength of the electronic interaction.