May R, Jester S.-S, * Höger S. * Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, Germany
A Giant Molecular Spoked Wheel.
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014;
136: 16732-16735
Key words
macromolecules - palladium - self-assembly
Significance
The authors have designed and synthesized a soluble and highly rigid macromolecular
wheel of the sum formula C1878H2682. The six ‘spokes’ of the hexagonal wheel are assembled, joined to the central hexaphenylbenzene
unit, and cyclized via palladium coupling in a convergent and modular fashion.
Comment
The spokes maintain shape-persistence and further solubilize the rigid molecule with
numerous dodecyl side chains. The yields in the synthetic sequence vary from modest
(49%) to excellent (98%). The isolated product is a yellow fluorescent solid.