Self‐assembling synthetic supramolecular polymers

The solid state structure of a [2]catenane, composed of macrocyclic rings containing π‐electron rich hydroquinol rings and π‐electron deficient bipyridinium units has revealed an approach to the elaboration of supramolecular polymers with a double helical tertiary structure. Neutral molecules containing up to five hydroquinol rings, separated by trioxaundecane spacers and terminated by benzyl ether functions, have been shown by 1 H NMR spectroscopy to form superstructures with possible double helical character as a result of π‐π stacking and other non‐covalent bonding interactions with polycations containing up to four bipyridinium units separated by p ‐xylyl spacers and terminated also by benzyl functions.