Metal ions in the synthesis of interlocked molecules and materials.

The use of metal ions to template the synthesis of catenanes by Sauvage and co-workers was a pivotal moment in the development of the field of interlocked molecules. In this Review Article we shall examine the different roles metal-ligand interactions play in modern syntheses of interlocked molecules and materials, with a particular focus on seminal contributions and the advantages and disadvantages of employing metal ligand interactions.