Molecular Recognition and Atropisomerization of [5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(1-pentyl-3-pyridinio)porphyrinato]zinc(II) in Water

Abstract
A cationic porphyrin host, [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-pentyl-3-pyridinio)porphyrinato]zinc(II), binds benzenecarboxylates, in water. The temperature dependence of the binding affinity showed that the binding was entropically driven: for the binding of 1,2,4,5-benzenetetracarboxylate, ΔH° = 4.36 kJ mol−1 and ΔS° = 95.4 J K−1 mol−1. The atropisomerization rates of the porphyrin were investigated by 1H NMR, and were decelerated by the addition of either anionic guests or simple inorganic salts. Electrostatic interactions and accompanying desolvation mainly controlled these equilibrium and kinetic behaviors.