2004/05/27 by Kelly S. Chichak, Stuart Cantrill, Anthony R. Pease +4 · 2 citations
Chemistry · Materials Science · #Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes #Molecular Sensors and Ion Detection #Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Chemistry #Supramolecular chemistry #Imine #Covalent bond #Chemistry #Denticity #Catenane #Crystallography #Ion #Dynamic covalent chemistry #Zinc #Stereochemistry #Molecule #Organic chemistry #Crystal structure #Catalysis
paper · doi:10.1126/science.1096914
openalex publication_date 2004/05/27 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/02
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.