Porphyrin-based catenanes and rotaxanes

Catenanes and rotaxanes containing porphyrin subunits have become popular synthetic targets because of the large variety of available synthetic strategies including the coordination chemistry of metalated porphyrins, coupled with the many attractive physical properties of porphyrins. The present review article outlines various synthetic approaches and templating strategies that have been used to prepare a range of mechanically interlocked architectures that incorporate porphyrins as fundamental subunits either grafted onto macrocycles or as stoppers. These species are of interest in relation to recreating natural processes such as the photosynthetic apparatus or enzyme binding sites. In recent years, "molecular machines" have also experienced a spectacular development. Porphyrin-based rotaxanes are particularly promising in relation to this research field, this is shown by the elaboration of a "molecular press" whose properties will be briefly discussed in this review.