Tetraquinoline is the newest member of the nitrogen macrocycle family
The new saddle-shaped macrocycle shows catalytic activity and affinity to zinc cations
The nitrogen macrocycles family has welcomed a new member – tetraquinoline. Researchers in Japan have reported the first-ever synthesis of this porphyrin-like structure, which shows strong affinity to certain metals despite its non-planar structure. Tetraquinoline complexes could find applications in catalysis, pH probes and sensors, based on preliminary studies.