Molecular recognition of planar and non-planar aromatic hydrocarbons through multipoint Ag-π bonding in a dinuclear metallo-macrocycle.

Exploration of a novel structural motif of host-guest interactions is one of the most fundamental topics to develop macrocycle-based host-guest/supramolecular systems. Herein, we present an unprecedented mode of inclusion of aromatic hydrocarbons into a macrocyclic cavity via multipoint Ag-π bonding as a driving force. A dinuclear AgI-macrocycle encapsulated one molecule of anthracene, a typical planar aromatic hydrocarbon, in solution and in the solid state. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the host-guest inclusion complex revealed the binding of anthracene via multipoint Ag-π bonding to both AgI ions arranged within the open-ended nano-cavity of the dinuclear AgI-macrocycle. Notably, this binding motif based on Ag-π bonding was also applied to the inclusion of triptycene, a non-planar aromatic hydrocarbon with a steric tripodal structure, to evaluate the rotational motion of the molecular paddle-wheel in the AgI-macrocycle.