A dinuclear double-helical complex of potassium ions with acompartmental bridging ligand containing two terdentate N-donorfragments

Abstract

Recently helicates have become a well known structural motif in supramolecular coordination chemistry.1–4 They are of particular interest not just for their appealing structures but also because of the processes of molecular recognition and self- assembly that are required for their formation. Their formation requires (i) ligands which contain several discrete metal-ion binding domains, and (ii) metal ions with specific preferences for particular coordination geometries that match the ligand binding sites.