Clippanes join rotaxanes and catenanes in mechanically interlocked molecule family

By Fernando Gomollón-Bel2021-10-27T13:30:00

An image showing an identical red and a blue structure locked together. Each part consists of a U bend with a long bar sitting perpendicular at each end of the U. The perpendicular bars of each structure is sitting behind the ones of the other.

Keck-clip molecules consist of two entangled gold–carbene metallotweezers

A new member has joined the family of mechanically interlocked molecules. Its discoverers dubbed them clippanes since their chemical structure resembles that of two intertwined Keck clips.