Selecting reactions and reactants using a switchable rotaxane organocatalyst with two different active sites†
Abstract
The activation mode of a rotaxane-based organocatalyst with both secondary amine and squaramide catalytic units can be switched with acid or base. The macrocycle blocks whichever of the catalytic sites it is positioned over. The switchable rotaxane catalyst generates different products from a mixture of three building blocks according to the location of the macrocyclic ring in the rotaxane.
- This article is part of the themed collection: Celebrating the 2017 RSC Prize and Award Winners