Na+ Ions Induce the Pirouetting Motion and Catalytic Activity of [2]Rotaxanes

Yong-Jay Lee; Kuang-Shun Liu; Chien-Chen Lai; Yi-Hung Liu; Shie-Ming Peng; Richard P Cheng; Sheng-Hsien Chiu

doi:10.1002/chem.201702525

Na⁺ Ions Induce the Pirouetting Motion and Catalytic Activity of [2]Rotaxanes

Chemistry. 2017 Jul 21;23(41):9756-9760. doi: 10.1002/chem.201702525. Epub 2017 Jul 3.

Authors

Yong-Jay Lee¹, Kuang-Shun Liu¹, Chien-Chen Lai², Yi-Hung Liu¹, Shie-Ming Peng¹, Richard P Cheng¹, Sheng-Hsien Chiu¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry and Center for Emerging Material and Advanced Devices, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, 10617, R.O.C.
² Institute of Molecular Biology, National Chung Hsing University and Department of Medical Genetics, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.

PMID: 28577323
DOI: 10.1002/chem.201702525

Abstract

We have prepared [2]rotaxanes, the behavior of which as switchable catalysts depends on their pirouetting motion, which can be controlled through the addition and removal of Na⁺ ions. At least three sequential on/off cycles of a Michael reaction can be performed in situ when using the NaTFPB/[2.2.2]cryptand reagent pair to switch "on" and "off" the catalytic ability of the [2]rotaxanes.

Keywords: Michael addition; catalysis; molecular switch; pirouetting; rotaxane.