Versatile control of the submolecular motion of di(acylamino)pyridine-based [2]rotaxanes

A cyclic network of chemical reactions has been conceived for exchanging the dynamic behaviour of di(acylamino)pyridine-based rotaxanes and surrogates. X-ray diffraction studies revealed the intercomponent interactions in these interlocked compounds and were consistent with those found in solution by dynamic NMR experiments. This particular binding site was incorporated into a molecular shuttle enabled for accessing two states with an outstanding positional discrimination through chemical manipulation. Furthermore, the ability of the di(acylamino) pyridine domain to associate with external binders with a complementary array of HB donor and acceptor sites was exploited for the advance of an unprecedented electrochemical switch operating through a reversible anion radical recognition process.