Stepwise construction of a metallocatenane based on non-labile bis(terpyridine)-CdII complexes

Abstract

A series of metalloligands bearing homoleptic 2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (tpy)-Cd^II complexes has been successfully synthesized. The formation of ML¹ was accomplished through a sequence of Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and complexation reactions, offering an alternative method to produce tpy-based metalloligands under relatively mild conditions. Moreover, the metallomacrocycle C¹ and metallocatenane C² were self-assembled from heteroleptic complexation reactions involving ML¹ and suitable counterparts.