Tripodal ligands have been utilized for complexation-induced structural change, but all the tripodal complexes reported so far are facial isomers, which do not completely reduce the recognition ability by closing the binding pocket. We now report the first example of the selective synthesis of a meridional tripodal complex. The tripodal ligand with a 1,3,5-triethyl-2,4,6-tris(methylene)benzene pivot possessing 2,2′-bipyridine on each arm exclusively formed a mononuclear complex with the mer-[Fe(bpy)]2+ unit. The meridional tripodal complex has a unique structure in which one bipyridine unit is self-penetrated. As a result of cavity blockage, the ion recognition property of the tripodand has been successfully suppressed.
