A stereoselective protocol for the synthesis of a molecular cinquefoil (5₁) knot

Here, we present a protocol for the complete stereoselective synthesis of a molecular 5₁ knot. Enantiopure chiral ligands serve as the starting point, while Zn(OTf)₂ acts as the template, facilitating the quantitative formation of pentameric circular helicates with 100% d.e. A subsequent sequence of ring-closing metathesis and demetalation steps transforms the structure into a fully organic 5₁ knot. This protocol expands the scope of strategies employed for chiral knot preparation and paves the way for more complex molecular topologies. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Zhang et al.¹