Efficient potassium-ion-templated synthesis and controlled destruction of [2]rotaxanes based on cascade complexes.

The triptycene-based macrotricyclic host can form pseudorotaxane-like cascade complexes with anthraquinone and its tetra-azide terminally functionalized derivative in the presence of potassium ions, which subsequently resulted in the synthesis of three novel potassium-ion-templated [2]rotaxanes 10-12 in high yields by the "threading followed by stoppering" approach. Since the potassium ions act not only as templates during the stoppering reactions but also as nonslipping chocks to shrink the inner diameter of the wheel cavity, the deslipping behaviors of the [2]rotaxanes with different triazole stoppers by peeling off the potassium ions with 18-crown-6 were further investigated. The results show that rotaxanes 10 and 11 can be destroyed, but under the same conditions the dumbbell and ring components of rotaxane 12 remain interlocked.