title: Rational design of a ternary supramolecular system: self-assembly of pentanuclear lanthanide helicates.
abstract: The self-assembly of the first pentanuclear helicate was predicted on the structural basis obtained for linear and tetranuclear parent supramolecular compounds. Accordingly, the designed ternary supramolecular system requires appropriate polytopic organic receptors, which were successfully synthesized. Indeed, the formation of pentanuclear complexes was experimentally evidenced with NMR and ESMS spectra that perfectly reflect the expected pattern. The structural features in the europium pentanuclear complex are highlighted with semiempirical molecular modeling. The present work validates the combinatorial approach leading to the thermodynamically driven formation of tower-like pentanuclear edifices.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inorganic, Analytical and Applied Chemistry, University of Geneva, 30 quai E.-Ansermet, CH-1211 Geneva 4, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Badr
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: El Aroussi
authors.forename: Soumaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zebret
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Besnard
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrottet
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamacek