Synthesis and Characterization of Two [2]Catenanes Based on Phenylene-diacetylene Crown Ethers

Two charged donor-acceptor [2]catenanes were synthesized by the cyclization of the π-acceptor 1,1 ＇-[1, 4-phenylenebis-（methylene）]bis（4,4＇-bipyridinium）bis（hexafluorophosphate）（2） and bis（bromomethyl）benzene with the templates of the π-donor phenylene-diacetylene crown ethers la and lb in the yields of 31%, 35%, respectively. The mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR spectra confirm that the phenylene-diacetylene crown ethers, with a nonaromatic ~r-system, successfully template the cyclization of CBPQT4＋. The X-ray crystallography analysis shows that the CBPQT4＋ ring encircles around the phenylene motif of the crown ethers, leaving the 1,3-butadiyne fragment out of the cavity of CBPQT4＋ ring. The mechanically interlocked structure of [2]catenanes was stabilized by the cooperative effects of π-stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions.