A new type of insulated molecular wire: a rotaxane derived from a metal-capped conjugated tetrayne

The platinum butadiynyl complex trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(CC)2H and a CuI adduct of a 1,10-phenanthroline based 33-membered macrocycle react in the presence of K2CO3 and I2 or O2 to give a rotaxane (ca. 9%) in which the macrocycle is threaded by the sp carbon chain of trans,trans-(C6F5)(p-tol3P)2Pt(CC)4Pt(Pp-tol3)2(C6F5). The crystal structure and macrocycle/axle electronic interactions are analyzed in detail.