Palladium‐Templated Subcomponent Self‐Assembly of Macrocycles,Catenanes, and Rotaxanes

The reaction of 2,6‐diformylpyridine with diverse amines and Pd^II ions gave rise to a variety of metallosupramolecular species, in which the Pd^II ion is observed to template a tridentate bis(imino)pyridine ligand. These species included a mononuclear complex as well as 2+2] and 3+3] macrocycles. The addition of pyridine‐containing macrocyclic capping ligands allows for topological complexity to arise, thereby enabling the straightforward preparation of structures that include a 2]catenane, a 2]rotaxane, and a doubly threaded 3]rotaxane.