Molecular knot

In chemistry, a molecular knot (knotane) is a mechanically-interlocked molecular architecture that is analogous to a macroscopic knot. A molecular knot in a trefoil knot configuration is chiral, having at least two enantiomers. Examples of naturally formed knotanes are DNA and certain proteins. Lactoferrin has an unusual biochemical reactivity compared to its linear analogue. Other synthetic molecular knots have a distinct globular shape and nanometer sized dimensions that make it potential building blocks in nanotechnology. Molecular knots are also referred to by some chemists as "knotanes". The term Knotane was coined by Fritz Vögtle et al in Angewandte Chemie International Edition in 2000 by analogy with rotaxane and catenane. The term however has yet to be adopted by IUPAC.