Supramolecular macrocycles self-assembled by phenanthroline–Cu(I) and sugar–boronic acid interactions

Two kinds of ligand which have two phenanthroline groups linked by a C2-symmetrical chiral tetrol were synthesized by a boronic acid–diol interaction. It was shown that these ligands form unique dinuclear chiral macrocycles by a Cu(I)–phenanthroline interaction. The results indicate that a novel supramolecular system can be exploited by combination of the Cu(I)–phenanthroline interaction with the boronic acid–diol interaction.