An efficient synthetic entry to rotaxanes utilising reversible cleavage of aromatic disulphide bonds

Reversible cleavage of an aromatic disulphide bond of a dumbbell-shaped molecule having two sec-ammonium salt moieties enabled the insertion of the disulphide linkage through a crown ether to give the corresponding [2]- and [3]rotaxanes. The formation of the rotaxanes proceeded much more rapidly than the case of an aliphatic disulphide system.