A new type of [1]rotaxanes containing two aliphatic bridges between axle and wheel is obtained in 39% yield in a one-step synthesis starting from a [2]rotaxane which contained one sulfonamide group each in both the wheel and the axle. Temperature controlled chemoselective substitution reactions first at these sulfonamide nitrogens and then subsequently at the various other carboxamide nitrogens in the wheel and axle give rise to the formation of an isomeric mixture of three double-bridged [1]rotaxanes which could be separated by HPLC. Structure determination of the main product 3a was possible by NMR experiments supported by molecular modeling calculations. Using different reaction conditions, a double-substituted but not yet bridged [2]rotaxane 4 could be isolated as an intermediate giving further evidence for the assigned structure of 3a and the way of its formation. The shape of this double-bridged [1]rotaxane 3a reminds of a self-intertwining chiral "molecular 8", in which any possible racemization due to deslipping is hindered by the two stoppers originating from the former rotaxane axle. Hence, to the best of our knowledge this is the first example of a molecule in which both concepts, cycloenantiomerism and helical chirality, are realised in one structure. Enantiomer separation of the main product was possible by further HPLC using chiral stationary phases. The Cotton effects of the circular dichrograms are different to those of the already synthesized [1]rotaxanes bearing just one aliphatic bridge between axle and wheel.

Rotaxanes of the amide type have been accessible in preparative yields by a variety of reactions. Beneath SN2- and SN2t-mechanisms we developed a synthesis of [2]rotaxanes that comes off a Michael addition. The motif of the attractive interactions between an axle-shaped and a macrocyclic wheel part to form rotaxanes consists of multiple hydrogen bonds in the nonionic strategy (threading), as well as in a new high yield anionic template synthesis (trapping). We introduce new synthetic routes for the preparation of [n]rotaxanes using nonionic as well as anionic templates. Furthermore, we report on the latest results of the statistical synthesis (slipping) by melting together axle and wheel to form rotaxanes. The chiroptical properties of a homologous series of cycloenantiomeric [1]rotaxanes as well as a cyclodiastereomeric [3]rotaxane have been described. The differences in the Cotton effects obtained show that small structural changes have an impact on the chiroptical properties of rotaxanes. The first X-ray structures obtained of cycloenantiomerically chiral amide-based [2]- and [1]rotaxanes as well as of the first topologically chiral amide-based knot compound were solved which show networks of H-bonds between the entities of the rotaxanes and the segments of the knot-shaped molecule. Our investigations in template effects based on hydrogen bonding for the synthesis of supramolecular structures open up a variety of strategies for the preparation of catenanes, rotaxanes andrecentlyeven molecular knots.

The synthesis of aliphatically bridged [1](n)rotaxanes and (n)pretzelanes in preparative yields and the dependency of their chiroptical properties on the length (n) of their bridge are reported. A cycloenantiomeric bis(sulphonamide)[2]rotaxane with a sulphonamide group in its axle and its wheel was intramolecularly dialkylated by homologous bifunctional oligomethylene reagents to form chiral [1](n)rotaxanes bearing bridges of different lengths (n) between the axle and the wheel. Intramolecular dialkylation by 1,omega-dibromoalkanes of a topologically chiral bis(sulphonamide)[2]catenane with a sulphonamide group in both of the macrolactam rings leads to pretzel shaped molecules ((n)pretzelanes) with homologous bridges between the two macrocycles. Their yields decrease with decreasing length of the bridge. The shortest bridge isolated so far in reasonable amounts consists of six methylene groups ((6)pretzelane). Remarkably, a covalent connection of axle and wheel in a [2]rotaxane was successful even with much shorter bridges-down to only three methylene groups ([1](3)rotaxane). The structural changes of the [1](n)rotaxanes with decreasing bridge length is expressed by an increasing high-field shift in the 1H NMR spectra. Enantiomeric resolution of the racemates of both series was achieved in seven cases for the [1](n)rotaxanes and two for the (n)pretzelanes by use of chiral HPLC columns. The circular dichrograms of both compound families show a strong dependency on the length of the bridge. However, the shortest bridges displayed some additional unexpected deviations. A new specification of the absolute configuration of supramolecules, such as [n]catenanes, [n]rotaxanes and (n)pretzelanes is introduced together with some nomenclature additions.

New high-yield, threading syntheses of rotaxanes with ester, carbonate and acetal axles are reported. A phenolate anion is bound as a guest by a macrocycle, which acts as a concave template, to form a supramolecular wheeled nucleophile. This nucleophile can then react directly with appropriate components to form different types of rotaxanes. This method was used to synthesize two kinds of diester rotaxanes, which differ in that the ester groups are arranged in opposite directions, according to whether the phenolic functionality was located at the stopper component or at the axle precursor. Use of triphenylacetic acid chloride and ptritylphenol as the complementary reactive axle building blocks led to a rotaxane with only one ester functionality in the axle. This single ester rotaxane contains the shortest rotaxane axle known so far. A rotaxane with a carbonate axle is formed from the reaction between trichloromethylchloroformate and (wheeled) phenolate blocking groups. A similar reaction between dichloromethane, used as both solvent and reagent, and the (wheeled) phenolate stoppers results in the corresponding acetal rotaxane in 81 % yield. The ester, carbonate and acetal axles of the rotaxanes have been hydrolysed; this leads to the release of their wheels.

New chiral dendrimers with planar-chiral, cycloenantiomeric and topologically chiral cores were prepared in yields of up to 90% starting from a racemic 4-hydroxy[2.2]paracyclophane, a [2]rotaxane with sulfonamide groups in the wheel and axle positions and [2]catenane with a sulfonamide group in both of its macrocycles. The separation of the racemic mix-