A molecular switch based on acid and base promoted, cation governed binding in a crown ether threaded rotaxane

A rotaxane, containing both oligo ethylene glycol and secondary ammonium cation binding sites for a threaded crown ether, has been prepared. 1H NMR spectroscopy has been used to show that the crown ether moiety in the rotaxane undergoes acid-base and alkali metal cation dependent switch from binding at the ammonium cation position to cooperative binding to the metal cation at the oligo ethylene glycol site.