Abstract:Various mechanically interlocked molecules such as rotaxanes and catenanes have been prepared toward future realization of molecular machines. Moreover, intense recent research interest has been focused on technological applications of rotaxanes and catenanes as a molecular sensor and a catalyst.A macrocycle having a bisamide and a half dibenzo-crown ether component was newly synthesized and its complexation behavior toward neutral phenanthroline derivatives is reported. The macrocycle can bind phenanthroline derivatives very strongly through the hydrogen bonding and π-electron interactions, yielding pseudorotaxane structures. The inclusion complexes show a pH-controllable reversible threading-dethreading molecular switching property.A new type of cryptand-based pseudorotaxane was prepared, utilizing a novel cryptand incorporating two aromatic rings as a wheel component, combined with various bipyridinium salts as the axle component. These pseudorotaxanes exhibited charge-transfer absorption at approximately 380 nm due to π-electron interactions between the cryptand and the bipyridinium salt. Upon addition of one equivalent of sodium ion to the pseudorotaxane, this absorption was disappeared as a result of displacement of the bipyridinium salt by the sodium.