Polymeric rotaxane constructed from the inclusion complex of β-cyclodextrin and 4,4'-dipyridine by coordination with nickel(II) ions.

Abstract

Nanometer-sized supramolecular assemblies created by the

simple inclusion complexation of host cyclodextrins (CDs)

and guest molecules have attracted more and more attention

in recent years because of their potential to serve as molecular

devices and molecular machines, as well as functional

materials.[1–4] Indeed, CDs can be threaded on a polymer

chain to form a polyrotaxane and extended to molecular tubes

through the cross-linking of adjacent CD units in a polyrotaxane.