[2]Rotaxanes through Palladium Active-Template Oxidative Heck Cross-Couplings

Pd(II)-catalyzed cross-couplings have been utilized in the efficient synthesis of [2]rotaxanes via an active-metal template strategy. The reaction is efficient, mild, and substrate-tolerant and uses only catalytic amounts of the Pd(II) template. In contrast, attempts using traditional Pd(0)-catalyzed cross-couplings led only to non-interlocked thread and no rotaxane.