Facile Synthesis of Size-Tunable Functional Polyimidazolium Macrocycles through a Photochemical Closing Strategy.
A synthetic strategy for the preparation of a series of polyimidazolium macrocycles from the corresponding dicarbene-derived metallacycles is described. Photodimerization of terminal cinnamic esters (UV-irradiation, λ=365 nm) produces the closed metallacycles with perfect stereoselectivity and high yields. Subsequent removal of the template from the photodimerization product results in polyimidazolium macrocycles. The size and shape of the receptor can be tuned easily by changing the length and breadth of the internal bridging groups of the ligands. Preliminary investigation shows the potential of the macrocycle as iodide sensor.
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China).
Tao
T
Yan
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China).
Li-Ying
LY
Sun
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China).
Yu-Xin
YX
Deng
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China). yfhan1980@fudan.edu.cn.
Ying-Feng
YF
Han
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, 200433 Shanghai (P. R. China). gxjin@fudan.edu.cn.
Guo-Xin
GX
Jin
carbene; molecular recognition; photodimerization; receptor; sensor