The synthesis of a novel pH-sensitive hetero[4]rotaxane molecular machine through a self-sorting strategy is reported. The original tetra-interlocked molecular architecture combines a [c2]daisy chain scaffold linked to two [2]rotaxane units. Actuation of the system through pH variation is possible thanks to the specific interactions of the dibenzo-24-crown-8 (DB24C8) macrocycles for ammonium, anilinium, and triazolium molecular stations. Selective deprotonation of the anilinium moieties triggers shuttling of the unsubstituted DB24C8 along the [2]rotaxane units.
Interlocked molecular machines like [2]rotaxanes are intriguing aesthetic molecules. The control of the localization of the macrocycle, which surrounds a molecular axle, along the thread leads to translational isomers of very different properties. Although many moieties have been used as sites of interactions for crown ethers, the very straightforwardly obtained amide motif has more rarely been envisaged as molecular station. In this article, we report the use of secondary and tertiary amide moieties as efficient secondary molecular station in pH-sensitive molecular shuttles. Depending on the N-substitution of the amide station, and on deprotonation or deprotonation-carbamoylation, the actuation of the molecular machinery differs accordingly to very distinct interactions between the axle and the DB24C8.
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