Quantitative formation of a tetraporphyrin [2]catenane via copper and zinc coordination

Abstract
A [2]catenane is formed quantitatively by mixing substituted 1,10-phenanthroline-based chelates with copper(I) acting as central template, the ring-forming reaction being based on the coordination of pyridinic bidentate ligands onto the zinc atoms of the four porphyrins surrounding the core of the molecule.