Templates, "wheeled reagents", and a new route to rotaxanes by anion complexation: the trapping method
The topological aspects of rotaxanes are compared with those of the other families of mechanically interlocked molecules: catenanes and molecular knots. The role of the different types of templates in the well-known threading and clipping procedures often used for rotaxane synthesis are discussed. Finally the conceptually new trapping method that is based on the action of supramolecular nucleophiles formed by anionic stopper-wheel complexes is described.