A supramolecular triarm star polymer from a homotritopic tris(crown ether) host and a complementary monotopic paraquat-terminated polystyrene guest by a supramolecular coupling method.

The first supramolecular star polymer based on pseudorotaxane host-guest complexation was prepared from statistical complexation of a homotritopic tris(crown ether) host and monotopic paraquat-terminated polystyrene guest in solution. The formation of this supramolecular star polymer was confirmed by proton NMR characterization and viscosity studies.

First pseudorotaxane-like [3]complexes based on cryptands and paraquat: self-assembly and crystal structures.

A new cryptand, bis(1,3,5-phenylene)tri(1,4,7,10-tetraoxadecyl) (3a), has been synthesized in good yield from bis(5-hydroxy-1,3-phenylene)-26-crown-8 (2a) and tri(ethylene glycol) ditosylate using pseudo-high dilution conditions. 3a forms a strong 1:1 complex with paraquat (1) in acetone solution with a high apparent association constant, 1.4 x 10(4) M(-)(1).

Self-Organization of a Heteroditopic Molecule to Linear Polymolecular Arrays in Solution.

Like the proverbial monkey chain one heteroditopic self-complementary molecule, comprising a crown ether unit and a paraquat unit, catches a second such molecule in solution and thus by self-organization forms novel linear oligo- and polymolecular arrays (shown schematically; the crown ether unit is denoted by the ellipse, and the paraquat unit by the rectangle).