Besides its mathematical importance, the Möbius topology (twisted, single-sided strip) is intriguing at the molecular level, as it features structural elegance and distinct properties; however, it carries synthetic challenges. Although some Möbius-type molecules have been isolated by synthetic chemists accompanied by extensive computational studies, the design, preparation, and characterization of stable Möbius-conjugated molecules remain a nontrivial task to date, let alone that of molecular Möbius strips assembling into more complex topologies. Here we report the efficient synthesis, crystal structure, and theoretical study of a catenane consisting of two fully conjugated nanohoops exhibiting Möbius topology in the solid state. This work highlights that oligoparaphenylene-derived nanohoops, a family of highly warped and synthetically challenging conjugated macrocycles, can not only serve as building blocks for interlocked supermolecular structures, but also represent a new class of compounds with isolable Möbius conformations stabilized by non-covalent interactions.

The century-old yet synthetically underexplored anthracene photodimerization-cycloreversion reactions have been employed as the key steps to access highly strained aromatic hydrocarbons. Herein we report the chemical syntheses of oligoparaphenylene-derived nanohoops in five steps or less featuring a rigid dianthracene synthon. The newly synthesized nanohoops display intriguing experimental and computational properties.

Aryl fluorosulfates were prepared by a simple method and employed as coupling partners in the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction. The cross-coupling reactions were performed in water under air at room temperature without ligands or additives such as surfactants or phase-transfer reagents and proceeded smoothly to give excellent yields. Aryl fluorosulfates could also be used as alternatives to halides or triflates in other coupling reactions.