Abstract
The design and synthesis of new types of switchable interlocked architectures that could play a pivotal role in the development of nanotechnology is a key area of research. As such, the development of potential new templating and functionalisation has been attempted. The use of 1,2,3-triazoles as a template for Grubb’s catalysed ring closing metathesis has been explored and shown to be ineffective as a synthetic route to interlocked architecture formation. This is due to the ring closing occurring above the template thread, which has been supported with molecular modelling calculations. The functionalisation of interlocked architectures allows post synthetic modifications to their structure to be explored, such as polymerisation. A singly functionalised [2] catenane has been synthesised in order to test the effects of functionalisation on interlocked architecture formation. The target doubly functionalised [2] catenane could not be synthesised; however the building blocks and synthetic pathway are readily available to produce the target [2] catenane.