A new octanuclear copper(II)-nucleoside wheel

The reaction of Cu(CF3SO3)(2) and cytidine in aqueous solution leads to the first example of a polynuclear copper(II)-cytidine complex of formula [Cu(H2O)(6)][Cu-8(Hcyd)(8)(CF3SO3)(4)](CF3SO3)(6)center dot 12H(2)O (H(2)cyd = cytidine). It shows a fascinating calixarene-like structure made up of octanuclear [Cu-8(Hcyd)(8)(CF3SO3)(4)](4+) wheel-shaped moieties that show receptor properties through multiple H-bonding interactions toward [Cu(H2O)(6)](2+) cations occupying the centers of the wheel.