Electrochemically induced dethreading of a 2-pseudorotaxane based on the 1,2-bis(4,4′-pyridinium)ethane/24-crown-8 ether motif

Reversible electrochemical regulation of dethreading and rethreading of a 2-pseudorotaxane complex composed of a dibenzo-24-crown-8 ‘wheel’ noncovalently bound to the ethyl bridge of a bis-viologen ‘axle’ is demonstrated by cyclic voltammetry.