MOLECULAR TRAINS - THE SELF-ASSEMBLY AND DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF 2 NEW CATENANES

The tetracationic cyclophane (the ''train'') travels at high speed around the polyether macrocycle (the ''track'') of the [2]catenane 1. The synthesis of the polyether macrocycle in a total yield of > 60% made possible the formation of 1 and of the analogous [3]catenane, in which the two smaller members of the chain are present on diametrically opposite hydroquinone rings according to the H-1 NMR spectrum. All that remains to be done is to introduce signals to direct the train.