-Macropolycyclic structures possessing receptor sites for several substrates may present a variety of new properties compared to single site receptors. Inclusion of two metal cations yields dinuclear cryptates in which the geometrical arrangement and the properties of the cations depend on the features of the ligand: the nature of the binding sites, of the subunits by which the cations are complexed, of the framework which connects the subunits. Three main classes of macropolycycles are considered: bis-chelating macrocycles, macrobicycles of either axial bis-tripodal or lateral chelating-macrocyclic type, cylindrical macrotricycles. The design of these structures is analyzed with respect to the choice and effect of binding sites, subunits and framework,on the properties of the cryptates foriied complexation and redox features, cation-cation interaction at short distances, formation of cascade complexes by fixation of substrates on the bound cations. Dinuclear cryptates of each type have been obtained, as well as several bridged species. Their structural, physical and chemical properties are discussed. The prospects of these type of complexes are outlined especially with respect to the design of polynuclear cryptates, catalysis of multicenter-multielectronic processes, biomimesis of metalloproteins and of biological redox processes.Macropolycyclic structures are able to provide suitable frameworks for the arrangement in space of several receptor sites, allowing the binding of several substrates or the multiple binding of a single polyfunctional substrate. They delineate molecular cavities into which the substrates penetrate, forming inclusion complexes, cryptates, whose geometry may be regulated via ligand design (1). In addition to the functions displayed by single site (monotopic) molecular receptors (1) (recognition, catalysis, transport), the simultaneous or successive participation of several sites to substrate binding by multisite (polytopic) receptors provides an entry into higher forms of molecular behaviour, cooperativity, allostery and regulation. Such co-systems may display successive binding of different substrates yielding "cascade" complexes (2-5).Polytopic receptors may be symmetric or dissymetric, contain equivalent or non-equivalent binding subunits; they may complex identical (homonuclear complexes) or different (heteronuclear complexes) substrates , inorganic metal cations, organic or biological molecular cations, inorganic or organic molecular anions as well as neutral molecules.Among the great variety of species which can be imagined, we shall limit our present discussion to dinuclear complexes formed by inclusion of two metal cations into a macropolycyclic ligand containing two binding subunits, i.e. the topic will be concerned with our work on dinuclear cryptates of metal cations.In these complexes, the distance and arrangement of the cations may be monitored via the design of the ligand. They provide a novelapproach to the study of cation-cation 2441 Unauthenticated Download Date ...