A comprehensive classification and nomenclature of carboxyl-carboxyl(ate) supramolecular motifs and related catemers: implications for biomolecular systems

Carboxyl and carboxylate groups form important supramolecular motifs (synthons). Besides carboxyl cyclic dimers, carboxyl and carboxylate groups can associate through a single hydrogen bond. Carboxylic groups can further form polymeric-like catemer chains within crystals. To date, no exhaustive classification of these motifs has been established. In this work, 17 association types were identified (13 carboxyl-carboxyl and 4 carboxyl-carboxylate motifs) by taking into account the syn and anti carboxyl conformers, as well as the syn and anti lone pairs of the O atoms. From these data, a simple rule was derived stating that only eight distinct catemer motifs involving repetitive combinations of syn and anti carboxyl groups can be formed. Examples extracted from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) for all identified dimers and catemers are presented, as well as statistical data related to their occurrence and conformational preferences. The inter-carboxyl(ate) and carboxyl(ate)-water hydrogen-bond properties are described, stressing the occurrence of very short (strong) hydrogen bonds. The precise characterization and classification of these supramolecular motifs should be of interest in crystal engineering, pharmaceutical and also biomolecular sciences, where similar motifs occur in the form of pairs of Asp/Glu amino acids or motifs involving ligands bearing carboxyl(ate) groups. Hence, we present data emphasizing how the analysis of hydrogen-containing small molecules of high resolution can help understand structural aspects of larger and more complex biomolecular systems of lower resolution.

Two- and three-dimensional lanthanide-based coordination polymers assembled by the synergistic effect of various lanthanide radii and flexibility of a new binicotinate-containing ligand: in situ synthesis, structures, and properties

The design and synthesis of ten novel coordination polymers was investigated. They have three structural types from 3D to 2D due to the synergistic effect of lanthanide contraction with diverse coordination modes and conformations of the ligand.

In situ generation of functionality in a reactive binicotinic-acid-based ligand for the design of multi-functional copper(ii) complexes: syntheses, structures and properties

Five copper binicotinic complexes have been synthesized depending on the reaction conditions. Complexes 1 and 2 display excellent catalytic activity for Strecker reaction of imines.