ABSTRACT
Two enantiomerically pure 9,9'-spirobifluorene-based bis(pyridine) ligands 1 and 2 were prepared to study their self-assembly behavior upon coordination to cis-protected palladium(II) ions. Whereas the sterically more demanding ligand, 2, gave rise to the expected dinuclear metallosupramolecular M2L2 rhombi, the sterically less demanding ligand, 1, acts as a template to give rise to a homochiral metallosupramolecular M4L4 catenane.
ABSTRACT
Two new 9,9'-spirobifluorene-based bis(4-pyridines) were synthesised in enantiopure and one also in racemic form. These ligands act as concave templates and form metallosupramolecular [(dppp)2M2L2] rhombi with cis-protected [(dppp)Pd](2+) and [(dppp)Pt](2+) ions. The self-assembly process of the racemic ligand preferably occurs in a narcissistic self-recognising manner. Hence, a mixture of all three possible stereoisomers [(dppp)2M2{(R)-L}2](OTf)4, [(dppp)2M2{(S)-L}2](OTf)4, and [(dppp)2M2{(R)-L}{(S)-L}](OTf)4 was obtained in an approximate 1.5:1.5:1 ratio which corresponds to an amplification of the homochiral assemblies by a factor of approximately three as evidenced by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The racemic homochiral assemblies could also be characterised by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
