Parking and restarting a molecular shuttle in situ

Chemistry. 2008;14(9):2904-8. doi: 10.1002/chem.200701854.

Abstract

Herein we report an easy-to-synthesize [2]rotaxane, which incorporates two ionic monopyridinium stations and one 2,2'-bipyridine station as the shaft of the dumbbell-shaped component and a bis-p-xylyl[26]crown-6 (BPX26C6) unit as the macrocyclic component. In this molecular shuttle, the BPX26C6 unit can be docked selectively on either the central 2,2'-bipyridine station or one of the two terminal pyridinium stations, and subsequently, returned to its shuttling molecular motion through the in situ addition of simple reagents (acid/base or metal ion/metal-ion-complexing ligand pairs).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 2,2'-Dipyridyl / chemistry
  • Crown Ethers / chemistry
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / standards
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Pyridinium Compounds / chemistry
  • Reference Standards
  • Rotaxanes / chemical synthesis*
  • Rotaxanes / chemistry

Substances

  • Crown Ethers
  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Pyridinium Compounds
  • Rotaxanes
  • bis-4-xylyl(26)crown-6
  • 2,2'-Dipyridyl