Frontiers in Chemistry (Dec 2021)

Self-Assembly of [3]Catenane and [4]Catenane Based on Neutral Organometallic Scaffolds

  • Gui-Yuan Wu,
  • Hong-Juan Zhu,
  • Fang-Fang Pan,
  • Xiao-Wei Sheng,
  • Ming-Rui Zhang,
  • Xianyi Zhang,
  • Guangxin Yao,
  • Hang Qu,
  • Zhou Lu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fchem.2021.805229
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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Transition metal-mediated templating and self-assembly have shown great potential to construct mechanically interlocked molecules. Herein, we describe the formation of the bimetallic [3]catenane and [4]catenane based on neutral organometallic scaffolds via the orthogonality of platinum-to-oxygen coordination-driven self-assembly and copper(I) template–directed strategy of a [2]pseudorotaxane. The structures of these bimetallic [3]catenane and [4]catenane were characterized by multinuclear NMR {1H and 31P} spectroscopy, electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS), and PM6 semiempirical molecular orbital theoretical calculations. In addition, single-crystal X-ray analyses of the [3]catenane revealed two asymmetric [2]pseudorotaxane units inside the metallacycle. It was discovered that tubular structures were formed through the stacking of individual [3]catenane molecules driven by the strong π–π interactions.

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