Molecular Borromean Rings

作者：Kelly S. Chichak, Stuart Cantrill, Anthony R. Pease, Sheng‐Hsien Chiu, Gareth W. V. Cave, Jerry L. Atwood, J. Fraser Stoddart · 发表于：Science · 年份：2004 · DOI：10.1126/science.1096914 · 被引用次数：818 · 研究领域：Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes、Molecular Sensors and Ion Detection、Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Chemistry

The realization of the Borromean link in a wholly synthetic molecular form is reported. The self-assembly of this link, which is topologically achiral, from 18 components by the template-directed formation of 12 imine and 30 dative bonds, associated with the coordination of three interlocked macrocycles, each tetranucleating and decadentate overall, to a total of six zinc(II) ions, is near quantitative. Three macrocycles present diagonally in pairs, six exo-bidentate bipyridyl and six endo-diiminopyridyl ligands to the six zinc(II) ions. The use, in concert, of coordination, supramolecular, and dynamic covalent chemistry allowed the highly efficient construction, by multiple cooperative self-assembly processes, of a nanoscale dodecacation with an approximate diameter of 2.5 nanometers and an inner chamber of volume 250 A(3), lined with 12 oxygen atoms.