Synthesis of some new polypseudorotaxanes

Abstract

Linear polymers are synthesised which have hydroquinol ether units linked by several ethylene oxide units; in some cases the latter also contain ester groups and introduction of the tetracationic cyclophane cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) 1 to solutions of the polymers in acetonitrile leads to the formation of polypseudorotaxanes; ¹ H NMR analysis of these solutions at -40 °C showed that in some cases up to 94% of the hydroquinol ether units were threaded through cyclophanes.