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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by Copper(I)-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Anion-templated calix[4]arene-based pseudorotaxanes and catenanes
Michael D Lankshear1, Nicholas H Evans, Simon R Bayly
1Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QR, UK.
Abstract:
We present the rational design and anion-binding properties of the first anion-templated pseudorotaxanes and catenanes in which the "wheel" component is provided by a calix[4]arene macrobicyclic unit. The designs and syntheses of two new calix[4]arene macrobicycles, 2 and 3, are presented, and the abilities of these new species both to bind anions and to undergo anion-dependent pseudorotaxane formation are demonstrated. Furthermore, it is shown that performing ring-closing metathesis reactions on some of these pseudorotaxane assemblies gives novel catenane species 14 and 15, in which the yield of interlocked molecule obtained is critically dependent on the presence of a suitable anion template, namely, chloride. Exchange of the chloride anion in catenane 14 a for hexafluorophosphate gives catenane 14 d, which contains a unique anion-binding domain defined by the permanently interlocked hydrogen-bond-donating calix[4]arene macrobicycle and pyridinium macrocycle fragments. The anion-binding properties of this domain are presented, and shown to differ from non-interlocked components.
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