Template effects are at the origin of supramolecular chemistry, but the behavior of folded molecules is a relatively new undertaking. Water-soluble cavitand hosts bind hydrocarbons through hydrophobic effects and force long-chain guests into folded conformations. This brings their ends closer together, and sites that were remote in solution become neighbors in the confined space and affect each other's reactivity. Amphiphilic guests fold in the cavitand to bury hydrophobic surfaces and expose the hydrophilic surfaces to the bulk solution. This arrangement leads to product distributions in monofunctionalization reactions that are significantly altered from the statistically determined outcomes in solution. The cavitand also acts as a template for macrocyclic processes involving direct reaction of the guests' ends. We propose applying the effects of folding in cavitands to truly remote functionalization reactions and provide access to molecules that cannot be made by conventional means.

Polymerizable deep eutectic solvent-based mechanically strong and ultra-stretchable conductive elastomers were reported.

Activation of dinitrogen (N2) by well-defined metal hydrides is of much interest and importance, but studies in this area have remained limited to date. We report here N2 activation and hydrogenation by C5Me4SiMe3-ligated di- and trinuclear chromium polyhydride complexes. Hydrogenolysis of [Cp′Cr­(μ-Me)2CrCp′] (Cp′ = C5Me4SiMe3) (1) with H2 in a dilute hexane solution under N2-free conditions affords the dichromium dihydride complex [Cp′Cr­(μ-H)2CrCp′] (2), while hydrogenolysis of 1 in a concentrated solution or without solvent provides the trinuclear chromium tetrahydride complex [(Cp′Cr)3(μ3-H)­(μ-H)3] (3). When the reaction is carried out in the presence of N2 in a dilute hexane solution, the tetranuclear diimide/dihydride complex [(Cp′Cr)4(μ3-NH)2(μ3-H)2] (4) is formed via N–N bond cleavage and N–H bond formation. The reaction of 2 with N2 at room temperature gives the tetranuclear imide/nitride/dihydride complex [(Cp′Cr)3(C5Me3(CH2)­SiMe3)­Cr­(μ3-NH)­(μ3-N)­(μ-H)2] (5) via N2 cleavage and hydrogenation and C–H bond activation of a Cp methyl group. At –30 °C, the reaction of 2 with N2 affords the dinitride intermediate [(Cp′Cr)4(μ3-N)2(μ3-H)2] (6), which is quantitatively transformed to 5 at room temperature. Complex 5 reversibly converts to the stereoisomer 5′. The hydrogenation of a mixture of 5 and 5′ with H2 affords 4. The reaction of 3 with N2 proceeds at 100 °C to afford [(Cp′Cr)3(μ3-NH)2] (7). This transformation has also been investigated by DFT calculations. Both experimental and computational studies suggest that N2 incorporation into the chromium hydride cluster is involved in the rate-determining step. This work represents the first example of N2 cleavage and hydrogenation by well-defined chromium hydride complexes.

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