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Updated: May 18, 2026

Self-Assembly of Microtubule Tactoids
Published on: June 23, 2022
Self-assembly of a [2]pseudorota[3]catenane in water
Ross S Forgan1, Jeremiah J Gassensmith, David B Cordes
1Center for the Chemistry of Integrated Systems, Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, Illinois 60208-3133, USA.
Abstract:
A donor-acceptor [3]catenane incorporating two cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) rings linked together by a dinaphtho[50]crown-14 macrocycle possesses a π-electron-deficient pocket. Contrary to expectation, negligible binding of a hexaethylene glycol chain interrupted in its midriff by a π-electron-rich 1,5-dioxynaphthalene unit was observed in acetonitrile. However, a fortuitous solid-state superstructure of the expected 1:1 complex revealed its inability to embrace any stabilizing [C-H···O] interactions between the clearly unwelcome guest and the host reluctantly accommodating it. By contrast, in aqueous solution, the 1:1 complex becomes very stable thanks to the intervention of hydrophobic bonding.
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