Self Assembled Cages with Mechanically Interlocked Cucurbiturils.

We report preparation of (bis)aniline ligand which contains a central viologen binding domain and its subcomponent self-assembly with aldehyde and Fe(OTf) in CHCN to yield tetrahedral assembly . Complexation of ligand with CB[7] in the form of CB[7]••2PF allows the preparation of assembly which contains an average of 1.95 (range 1-3) mechanically interlocked CB[7] units. Assemblies and are hydrolytically unstable in water due to their imine linkages. Redesign of our system with water stable 2,2'-bipyridine end groups was realized in the form of ligands and which also contain a central viologen binding domain. Self-assembly of with Fe(NTf) gave tetrahedral MOP as evidenced by H NMR, DOSY, and mass spectrometric analysis. In contrast, isomeric ligand underwent self-assembly with Fe(OTf) to give cubic assembly . Precomplexation of ligands and with CB[7] gave the acetonitrile soluble CB[7]••2PF and CB[7]••2PF complexes. Self-assembly of CB[7]••2PF with Fe(OTf) gave tetrahedron which contains on average 1.8 mechanically interlocked CB[7] units as determined by H NMR, DOSY, and ESI-MS analysis. Self-assembly of CB[7]••2PF with Fe(OTf) gave cube which contains 6.59 mechanically interlocked CB[7] units as determined by H NMR and DOSY measurements.