We report a design strategy for integrative assembly of heteromeric [2]catenanes. The design focuses on the shape and functional group match of two different metalla-rectangles. A series of dipyridyl ligands with different lengths, widths and functional groups were designed and used for assembly experiments. Six heteromeric [2]catenanes were obtained both by direct mixture of two pre-assembled metalla-rectangles and one-pot three-component self-assembly. Multiple analytic methods were employed to characterize the catenanes, including single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis.
Keywords: Catenane; Half-Sandwich Complexes; Integrative Self-Assembly; Shape Complementarity.
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