Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF)-based [3]catenanes are shown to display multiple stable redox states dominated by TTF···TTF radical dimer interactions occurring within the cavity of what is essentially a ‘molecular flask’. These stabilizing interactions are found to be the basis of a novel recognition motif that can be employed to drive molecular switching under redox control.
- Jason M. Spruell
- Ali Coskun
- J. Fraser Stoddart