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Securing a Supramolecular Architecture by Tying a Stopper Knot
Author(s) -
Leigh David A.,
Pirvu Lucian,
Schaufelberger Fredrik,
Tetlow Daniel J.,
Zhang Liang
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201803871
Subject(s) - chemistry , supramolecular chemistry , rotaxane , knot (papermaking) , crown ether , lanthanide , catenane , ion , crystallography , materials science , molecule , organic chemistry , crystal structure , composite material
We report on a rotaxane‐like architecture secured by the in situ tying of an overhand knot in the tris(2,6‐pyridyldicarboxamide) region of the axle through complexation with a lanthanide ion (Lu 3+ ). The increase in steric bulk caused by the knotting locks a crown ether onto the thread. Removal of the lutetium ion unties the knot, and when the axle binding site for the ring is deactivated, the macrocycle spontaneously dethreads. When the binding interaction is switched on again, the crown ether rethreads over the 10 nm length of the untangled strand. The overhand knot can be retied, relocking the threaded structure, by once again adding lutetium ions.