Chiral Catenanes and Rotaxanes: Fundamentals and Emerging Applications

Molecular chirality provides a key challenge in host-guest recognition and other related chemical applications such as asymmetric catalysis. For a molecule to act as an efficient enantioselective receptor, it requires multi-point interactions between host and chiral guest, which may be achieved by an appropriate chiral 3D scaffold. As a consequence of their interlocked structure, catenanes and rotaxanes may present such a 3D scaffold, and can be chiral by inclusion of a classical chiral element and/or as a consequence of the mechanical bond. This Minireview presents illustrative examples of chiral [2]catenanes and [2]rotaxanes, and discusses where these molecules have been used in chemical applications such as chiral host-guest recognition and asymmetric catalysis.