Trinuclear copper(I)-bipyridine triskelion: Template/bascule control of coordination complex stereochemistry in a trefoil knot precursor

The construction of molecules such as knots and links can be facilitated by using metal-ligand coordination complexes as template structures; however, the control of the stereochemistry by cooperative steric interactions among metal-ligand sites remains a challenge. A simple, but general, cantilever control mechanism is demonstrated here through the stereoselective synthesis of a trinuclear copper(I)-bipyridine triskelion (see picture).