A Zn(II) metallocycle as platform to assemble a 1D + 1D→1D polyrotaxane via ϕ...ϕ stacking of an ancillary ligand

A new [Zn2L2] metallocycle bearing two metal centers that can coordinate ancillary ligands and a pocket suitable to host guest molecules is reported. These two features are exploited by reacting the metallocycle with a pyridine ligand to self-assemble in the solid state an extended intertwined system with the rare 1D + 1D → 1D topology. This interpenetrated architecture is supported by ϕ...ϕ stacking between two pyridine units of two different metallocycles in the pocket of a third metallocycle.