Gel-phase HR-MAS ¹H NMR spectroscopy as a probe for solid-tethered diimide rotaxanes and catenanes

The design and kinetically-controlled construction of a series of solid-tethered supramolecular systems utilising crown ether–naphthalene diimide host–guest chemistry are described.Functionalised polystyrene beads (ArgoGel-OH™) were utilised as the gel-phase solid support for the assembly of an appended diimide-crown catenane, and for a porphyrin-stoppered diimidecrown rotaxane. The structures of the resulting solid-tethered systems were probed using gelphase high-resolution magic-angle spinning (HR-MAS) ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The advantages of using this spectroscopic tool in conjunction with optical microscopy to probe solid-tethered supramolecular systems are discussed.