Channels and Cavities Lined with Interlocked Components: Metal‐Based Polyrotaxanes That Utilize Pyridinium Axles and Crown Ether Wheels as Ligands

Abstract

One- and two-dimensional coordination polymers (see picture) in which the bridging ligands are coated with crown ethers (red) can be prepared by metal–ligand self-assembly. These metal-based polyrotaxanes contain channels and cavities that are lined with mechanically linked molecular components. This structural design has significant potential for tuning the physical properties of internal cavities and the production of materials that contain functional molecular entities that may be addressable or controllable.