A template-free strategy for the synthesis of highly stable trefoil knots

Publication date: Available online 8 February 2020Source: Journal of Organometallic ChemistryAuthor(s): Xiang Gao, Bei-bei Guo, Li-long Dang, Guo-Xin JinAbstractMolecular knots and other topological architectures have attracted increasing attention over the past few decades. However, in solution, these architectures usually exist as mixtures due to their instability, which limits their potential applications. Herein, two molecular building blocks with large conjugated-π areas and two nonrigid ligands with suitable flexibility were selectively employed to obtain complicated architectures with high stabilities. Remarkably, three very stable trefoil knots were obtained, as expected in advance, whose high stabilities can be attributed to π-π stacking, C–H···π interactions and hydrogen bonds. This research provides a strategy to obtain complicated molecular architectures with high stabilities.Graphical abstractA template-free strategy based on the combination of building blocks with large conjugated-π area (green block) and bidentate ligands with suitable flexibility (blue line) was exploited to construct remarkable topological architectures including trefoil knots with high stabilities.

Source: Journal of Organometallic Chemistry - February 9, 2020 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research