Engineering entanglement: controlling the formation of polycatenanes and polyrotaxanes using π interactions

Chem Commun (Camb). 2014 Feb 4;50(9):1125-7. doi: 10.1039/c3cc48802k.

Abstract

A reproducible metallocyclic motif containing amino-acid functionalised aromatic diimides has been employed to demonstrate remarkable control over entanglement topologies. [2]-Catenane and pseudo-rotaxane units give rise to 1D → 2D polycatenation, the formation of which can be sterically prevented, and a unique 1D → 3D polyrotaxane.