A Set of Homologous Hetarylenediyne Macrocycles by Oxidative Acetylene-Acetylene Coupling

The synthesis of a set of bipyridine-containing macrocycles by oxidative acetylene−acetylene dimerization is described. The cycles are separated by preparative GPC, and the smallest homologue is analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which shows a layered structure with channels that are partially filled with parts of the flexible chains of adjacent macrocycles. The cyclic trimer has a D3h symmetry and is a possible candidate for the formation of metal organic supramolecular assemblies on surfaces.