A New Octanuclear Copper(II)−Nucleoside Wheel

The reaction of Cu(CF₃SO₃)₂ and cytidine in aqueous solution leads to the first example of a polynuclear copper(II)−cytidine complex of formula [Cu(H₂O)₆][Cu₈(Hcyd)₈(CF₃SO₃)₄](CF₃SO₃)₆·12H₂O (H₂cyd = cytidine). It shows a fascinating calixarene-like structure made up of octanuclear [Cu₈(Hcyd)₈(CF₃SO₃)₄]⁴⁺ wheel-shaped moieties that show receptor properties through multiple H-bonding interactions toward [Cu(H₂O)₆]²⁺ cations occupying the centers of the wheel.