Molecular Trains: The Self‐Assembly and Dynamic Properties of Two New Catenaries

Abstract

The tetracationic cyclophane (the “train”) travels at high speed around the polyether macrocycle (the “track”) of the [2]catenane 1. The synthesis of the polyether macrocycle in a total yield of > 60% made possible the formation of 1 and of the analogous [3]catenane, in which the two smaller members of the chain are present on diametrically opposite hydroquinone rings according to the 1H NMR spectrum. All that remains to be done is to introduce signals to direct the train.