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Updated: Feb 20, 2026

Preparation of a Corannulene-functionalized Hexahelicene by CopperI-catalyzed Alkyne-azide Cycloaddition of Nonplanar Polyaromatic Units
Published on: September 18, 2016
Chiral Catenanes and Rotaxanes: Fundamentals and Emerging Applications
1Department of Chemistry, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, UK.
Abstract:
Molecular chirality provides a key challenge in host-guest recognition and other related chemical applications such as asymmetric catalysis. For a molecule to act as an efficient enantioselective receptor, it requires multi-point interactions between host and chiral guest, which may be achieved by an appropriate chiral 3D scaffold. As a consequence of their interlocked structure, catenanes and rotaxanes may present such a 3D scaffold, and can be chiral by inclusion of a classical chiral element and/or as a consequence of the mechanical bond. This Minireview presents illustrative examples of chiral [2]catenanes and [2]rotaxanes, and discusses where these molecules have been used in chemical applications such as chiral host-guest recognition and asymmetric catalysis.
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