MULTIRING INTERLOCKED SYSTEMS VIA TRANSITION METAL-TEMPLATED STRATEGY- THE SINGLE-CYCLIZATION SYNTHESIS OF [3]-CATENATES

The synthesis of a potential precursor of a multi-interlocking ring sy stem is described. This precursor consists of two lipophilic 4,7-di-(n -hexyl)-2,9-di-phenyl-1,10-phenanthroline moieties linked by a diacety lenic bridge and ended by two alkyne groups. The Cu(I)-templated doubl e threading of this bis-chelate string into two coordinating macrocycl es was demonstrated. An intramolecular cyclization (Glaser oxidation) of this preorganized system leads to the corresponding dicopper(I) [3] -catenate in 48% yield. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd