A Radically Configurable Six-State Compound

Abstract

Radically Organic: Metals such as manganese are relatively stable over a wide range of oxidation states. In contrast, purely organic compounds are rarely susceptible to incremental addition or removal of electrons without accompanying fragmentation or coupling reactions. Barnes et al. (p. 429 ; see the Perspective by Benniston ) report a catenane (a compound comprising interlocked rings) in which the topological structure stabilizes six different states that successively differ by the presence or absence of one or two electrons in the framework. The hepta-oxidized state proved remarkably resilient to oxygen exposure.