Pyridyl-Decorated Self-Folding Heptaamide Cavitands as Ligands in the Rhodium-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Norbornadiene

The different binding geometries exhibited in solution by the Rh^I cationic complexes of three regioisomeric self-folding heptaamide cavitands, each decorated with one pyridyl group at the upper rim, are taken into account to explain the diverse distributions of products obtained when these complexes are employed as catalysts for the hydrogenation of norbornadiene.