Heterorotaxanes, one class of topological organic structures, have attracted increasing interesting during the past two decades. In general, two types of heterorotaxane structures exist, one in which two or more different macrocycles are threaded onto one dumbbell-shaped molecule and the other where one macrocycle is threaded onto two or more different dumbbell-shaped molecules. In comparison to these traditional types, another family of topologically interesting heterorotaxanes can be envisaged as arising from polyfunctional molecules that possess both host (crown ether) and guest (ammonium templates). In the present investigation, we have explored the construction of selected members of this new heterorotaxane family, which possess crown ether moieties that are wrapped around a dumbbell-shaped molecule. These structures are prepared by routes in which "stitching" processes, involving template-directed clipping reaction or olefin metathesis reactions, are used to install crown ether ring systems encircling ammonium cation centers. This is then followed by implementation of a threading-followed-by-stoppering sequence to install a second encircling crown ether ring. The results show that the polyfunctional building blocks assemble with high efficiencies. Finally, this investigation provides a foundation for future studies aimed at constructing more complicated heterorotaxane architectures, such as switchable systems, self-assembling polymers, and functional molecular machines.

A series of novel dithienylethene-based macrocycles containing ammonium moieties has been synthesized. They have been employed as templates to construct [2]catenanes showing their photoisomerization properties by means of a dynamic covalent chemistry approach. Their structures have been reliably confirmed by NMR, ESI-MS or MALDI-QTOF-MS, and elemental analysis, and their energy-minimized structures of open- and closed-ring isomers were investigated by the theoretical calculation. Investigation of the photochromic properties of these dithienylethene-based [2]catenanes has revealed good reversibility and excellent fatigue resistance upon irradiation with UV or visible light. Notably, formation of the [2]catenanes enhanced the photochromic properties compared with those of the corresponding macrocyclic ammonium salt, implying that the non-covalently interacting components of the [2]catenanes could affect the photoswitchable properties.

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The construction of novel mechanically interlocked structures has become a topic of great current interest due to the requirements of topology and their potential application in molecular machines and devices. Rotaxane and catenane as two basic topological frameworks can be used to construct the fused structures. In the current investigation, a class of novel ammonium backbones were synthesized. The ammonium group incorporated in the linear part of the molecule can be used for templating rotaxane formation while the macrocyclic part of the molecule can be used for templating catenane formation. Accordingly, they were subjected to dynamic covalent chemistry, resulting in a series of [n]rota[n]catenane structures (n = 2, 3, 4). In this process, the N-hetero crown ethers were installed on ammonium template sites of linear and macrocyclic components all at once by a template-directed clipping reaction. The results showed that these novel building blocks could be assembled with high efficiencies. Finally, this investigation provides a foundation for future studies aimed at constructing complicated integrated structures or polymers with multiple topological units.

A series of dendritic ammonium salts have been designed and synthesized. Subsequently, they were used to construct the corresponding [2]rotaxanes by a template-directed clipping approach. Unusually, two unsymmetrical dendritic [2]rotaxanes containing fluorophore (pyrene units) were also obtained; their optical properties, such as UV/vis absorption and fluorescence, were measured. The results indicate that these two rotaxanes possess stronger intermolecular interaction in the solid state than in solution. As a result, solutions of high concentration readily formed the excimer. These special rotaxanes might be applied in dynamic fluorescence-reponsive materials, and the rotaxane structure will also be used as a strategy to adjust the aggregated behaviors of fluorescent molecules.