Rotaxane pseudorotaxane

The interest in rotaxanes, pseudorotaxanes, and catenanes (i.e., molecules that contain non-covalently interlocked components) stems from their potential use as building blocks in molecular devices. Their syntheses usually rely on some sort of template assistance, such as the preorganization of the assembly s components around a metal center. While cationic templates have been widely used in this context, only a few examples of anion-directed synthesis of interlocked molecules have been reported. In fact, although rotaxanes and pseudorotaxanes have been prepared in this way (as discussed in this section), to date there is no reported example of anion-directed synthesis of catenanes. 

Figure 4-5. The main characteristics of catenanes, rotaxanes, pseudorotaxanes and knots.

FIGURE 2.17 (a) Schematic representation of rotaxanes, pseudorotaxanes, and catenanes, (b) synthetic... 

Molecular movements in pseudorotaxanes,rotaxanes,andcatenanes with macroheterocyclic fragments 98ACR405. 

Self-assembly in construction of pseudorotaxanes, rotaxanes, and catenanes with crown ether fragments 98PAC419. 

The synthesis of [3]- (figuratively shown as 7) and a [5]rotaxane (8) with one central and two terminal porphyrins in the open configuration has been reported <96AG(E)906> also a rotaxane with two Ru(terpy>2 stoppers has appeared <96CC1915>. A pseudorotaxane comprised of a macroring of 2,9-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline unit and a molecular string... 

Scheme 1. Schematic representations of a [2]rotaxane, a [2]pseudorotaxane, and one-, two-and three-dimensional polyrotaxanes...

More recently, Kim et al. synthesized dendritic [n] pseudorotaxane based on the stable charge-transfer complex formation inside cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8j) (Fig. 17) [59]. Reaction of triply branched molecule 47 containing an electron deficient bipyridinium unit on each branch, and three equiv of CB[8] forms branched [4] pseudorotaxane 48 which has been characterized by NMR and ESI mass spectrometry. Addition of three equivalents of electron-rich dihydrox-ynaphthalene 49 produces branched [4]rotaxane 50, which is stabilized by charge-transfer interactions between the bipyridinium unit and dihydroxy-naphthalene inside CB[8]. No dethreading of CB[8] is observed in solution. Reaction of [4] pseudorotaxane 48 with three equiv of triply branched molecule 51 having an electron donor unit on one arm and CB[6] threaded on a diaminobutane unit on each of two remaining arms produced dendritic [ 10] pseudorotaxane 52 which may be considered to be a second generation dendritic pseudorotaxane. 

In particular, rotaxane dendrimers capable of reversible binding of ring and rod components, such as Type II, pseudorotaxane-terminated dendrimers, can be reversibly controlled by external stimuli, such as the solvent composition, temperature, and pH, to change their structure and properties. This has profound implications in diverse applications, for instance in the controlled drug release. A trapped guest molecule within a closed dendrimeric host system can be unleashed in a controlled manner by manipulating these external factors. In the type III-B rotaxane dendrimers, external stimuli can result in perturbations of the interlocked mechanical bonds. This behavior can be gainfully exploited to construct controlled molecular machines. 

The axial coordination of metalloporphyrins to a pyridyl ligand was successfully exploited by two groups to produce porphyrin-stoppered rotaxanes. Sanders (48) assembled a rotaxane by simply mixing the constituent parts. Zn(II), Ru(II)CO, and Rh(II)Cl porphyrins were used as stoppers. Branda (49) reported the stoppering of a pseudorotaxane by adding two equivalents of a Ru(II)CO porphyrin that coordinated to... 

Pseudorotaxanes are precursors of both rotaxanes and catenanes they consist of a guest molecule threaded through a macrocyclic host. Stoppering both ends of the threaded molecule gives a rotaxane, cycliza-tion of the thread gives a catenane. Pseudorotaxane formation may occur by spontaneous self-assembly, or may be template-controlled. Anion size can be of paramount importance for such templates - Cl- is effective, Br, I- less good, and PFe ineffective when the recognition motif demands a small template (454). 

Keywords Molecular Devices a Molecular Machines a Molecular Wires a Antenna Systems a Molecular Switches a Plug/socket Systems a Pseudorotaxanes a Rotaxanes a Catenanes a Supramolecuiar Chemistry a Photochemistry a Electrochemistry a Luminescence... 

Rationale and efficient synthetic approaches for the preparation of complicated (supra)molecular systems like pseudorotaxanes, rotaxanes and catenanes have been devised only recently.1171 The strategies chosen by Stoddart and coworkers1181 are based... 

In this kind of pseudorotaxanes, rotaxanes, and catenanes, the stability of a specific (supra)molecu-lar structure is a result, at least in part, of the CT interaction. In order to cause mechanical move ments, such a CT interaction has to be destroyed. 

The strong hydrogen bonding interactions observed between the oxygen atoms of crown ethers and the N-H groups of ammonium groups can be successfully employed to prepare pseudorotaxanes and rotaxanes by templated processes. This approach has been extensively utilised by Stoddart, Busch and others to obtain a wide range of interlocked species. 

One of the several ammonium-templated rotaxanes reported by Stoddart [56] is based on a threadlike ammonium species with terminal azido-groups (19). Upon mixing this axle with crown ether 20, the [2]pseudorotaxane 21 was formed (see Scheme 13). 

The pseudorotaxane 21 was then converted into the [2]rotaxane 22 (in 30% yield) after the covalent attachment, under kinetic control, of bulky groups at both ends of the axle. The same methodology can be employed to prepare [3]ro-taxanes such as 23 shown in Scheme 14 [57]. 

Scheme 15 Templated synthesis of rotaxane 24 employing the threading-followed-by-capping methodology. The shift of the proton from the terminal amine to the secondary amine allows for the threading to occur yielding the pseudorotaxane 26... 

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