Self‐assembling synthetic supramolecular polymers

TLDR: In this article, the solid state structure of a catenane, composed of macrocyclic rings containing π-electron rich hydroquinol rings and πelectron deficient bipyridinium units, has been revealed.

Abstract: 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 1H 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.