David J Williams

University of Reading, Reading, ENG, United Kingdom

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Publications (7)40.03 Total impact

  • Article: Conformational modulation of sequence recognition in synthetic macromolecules.
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    ABSTRACT: The different triplet sequences in high molecular weight aromatic copolyimides comprising pyromellitimide units ("I") flanked by either ether-ketone ("K") or ether-sulfone residues ("S") show different binding strengths for pyrene-based tweezer-molecules. Such molecules bind primarily to the diimide unit through complementary π-π-stacking and hydrogen bonding. However, as shown by the magnitudes of (1)H NMR complexation shifts and tweezer-polymer binding constants, the triplet "SIS" binds tweezer-molecules more strongly than "KIS" which in turn binds such molecules more strongly than "KIK". Computational models for tweezer-polymer binding, together with single-crystal X-ray analyses of tweezer-complexes with macrocyclic ether-imides, reveal that the variations in binding strength between the different triplet sequences arise from the different conformational preferences of aromatic rings at diarylketone and diarylsulfone linkages. These preferences determine whether or not chain-folding and secondary π-π-stacking occurs between the arms of the tweezer-molecule and the 4,4'-biphenylene units which flank the central diimide residue.
    Journal of the American Chemical Society 12/2011; 133(48):19442-7. · 9.91 Impact Factor
  • Article: Induced-fit binding of pi-electron-donor substrates to macrocyclic aromatic ether imide sulfones: a versatile approach to molecular assembly.
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    ABSTRACT: Novel macrocyclic receptors that bind electron-donor aromatic substrates through pi-stacking donor-acceptor interactions are obtained by cycloimidisation of an amine-functionalised aryl ether sulfone with pyromellitic and 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydrides. These macrocycles can form complexes with a wide variety of pi-donor substrates, including tetrathiafulvalene, naphthalene, anthracene, pyrene, perylene and functional derivatives of these polycyclic hydrocarbons. The resulting supramolecular assemblies range from simple 1:1 complexes to [2]- and [3]pseudorotaxanes and even (as a result of crystallographic disorder) an apparent polyrotaxane. Direct five-component self-assembly of a metal-centred [3]pseudorotaxane is also observed on complexation of a macrocyclic ether imide with 8-hydroxyquinoline in the presence of palladium(II) ions. Binding studies in solution were carried out by using (1)H NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy, and the stoichiometries of binding were confirmed by Job plots based on the charge-transfer absorption bands. The highest association constants were found for strong pi-donor guests with large surface areas, notably perylene and 1-hydroxypyrene, for which K(a) values of 1.4x10(3) and 2.3x10(3) M(-1), respectively, were found. Single-crystal X-ray analyses of the receptors and their derived complexes reveal large induced-fit distortions of the macrocyclic frameworks as a result of complexation. These structures provide compelling evidence for the existence of strong attractive forces between the electronically complementary aromatic pi systems of host and guest.
    Chemistry 11/2009; 16(3):907-18. · 5.93 Impact Factor
  • Article: Extended-chain, multinuclear transition metal complexes bridged by cyanodiazenido(1-), [N=N-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N]-, ligands.
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    ABSTRACT: Extended-chain complexes containing multiple transition metal centres linked by conjugated micro-cyanodiazenido(1-) ligands [N=N-C[triple bond, length as m-dash]N]- have been obtained by reaction of trans-[BrW(dppe)2(N2CN)], , [dppe=1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane] with dirhodium(II) tetra-acetate, bis(benzonitrile)palladium(II) dichloride, and bis(aqua)M(II) bis(hexafluoroacetylacetonate) (M=Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn): stronger Lewis acids such as tetrakis(acetonitrile)palladium(II) tetrafluoroborate and boron trifluoride promote hydrolysis of complex , leading to the isolation of a novel carbamoylhydrazido(2-) complex, trans-[BrW(dppe)2(N2HC=ONH2)]+[BF4]-.
    Dalton Transactions 09/2007; · 3.84 Impact Factor
  • Article: Synthesis of Strained Macrocyclic Biaryls for Enthalpy-Driven Ring-Opening Polymerization
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    ABSTRACT: Polymerizable macrocyclic biarylene−ether−ketones and biarylene−ether−sulfones are accessible from linear, bis(chloro)-terminated oligomers via nickel-catalyzed, intramolecular coupling under pseudo-high-dilution conditions. Single-crystal X-ray analyses of the resulting cyclo-oligomers reveal extremely distorted and highly strained geometries, with 4,4‘-biphenylene units showing deviations of up to 70° from linearity.
    11/2005;
  • Article: Spontaneous Ring‐Opening Polymerization of Macrocyclic Aromatic Thioether Ketones under Transient High‐Temperature Conditions
    Macromolecular Rapid Communications 03/2004; 25(7):808 - 811. · 4.60 Impact Factor
  • Article: Extreme complementarity in a macrocycle-tweezer complex.
    Howard M Colquhoun, Zhixue Zhu, David J Williams
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    ABSTRACT: [reaction: see text] Interaction of a novel pyrene-based tweezer molecule with a macrocyclic ether-imide-sulfone results in formation of a strongly bound complex (K(a) = 24 000 M(-)(1)) in which binding results not only from pi-pi stacking interactions involving pyrene units as donors and macrocyclic naphthalene-tetracarboximide and biphenylenedisulfone groups as acceptors but also from N-H.O and C-H.O hydrogen bonds and from "reverse" pi-stacking of the electron-poor isophthaloyl residue of the tweezer with an electron-rich 3-aminophenoxy residue of the macrocyclic imide.
    Organic Letters 12/2003; 5(23):4353-6. · 5.86 Impact Factor
  • Article: Macrocyclic aromatic ether-imide-sulfones: versatile supramolecular receptors with extreme thermochemical and oxidative stability.
    Howard M Colquhoun, David J Williams, Zhixue Zhu
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    ABSTRACT: Macrocyclic receptors having extreme thermo-oxidative stability, and which bind a wide range of electron-donor substrates via pi-stacking donor-acceptor interactions, are accessible by cycloimidization of an amine-functionalized aryl ether-sulfone with pyromellitic dianhydride or 1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxylic dianhydride. The potential of these receptors in supramolecular chemistry is illustrated, for example, by the spontaneous self-assembly and crystallization of a five-component [3]pseudorotaxane from a solution of its constituents.
    Journal of the American Chemical Society 12/2002; 124(45):13346-7. · 9.91 Impact Factor