Remarkable effect of hydrogen bonding between ring and axle components on deslipping reactions of rotaxanes

A series of rotaxanes 1·5, 2·5, 3·5, and 4·5 bearing a different substituent (X = NO₂, Br, H, and OMe, respectively) at para position on the phenol moiety of the ring component exhibit clear difference in deslipping behavior. The difference in the deslipping rates is consistent with the difference in intercomponent hydrogen bonding strength estimated from the O-H stretching vibration wavenumbers. The para substituent dictates the relative strength of the intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Thus the incorporation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond allows for tunability of the strength of the intercomponent interaction.