Methanolysis of the Cyclic Acetal Function of NanoKid Catalyzed by NanoGoblin, the Pyridinium Salt of Tetracyanocyclopentadienide

[Image: see text] Small, “doll”-shaped tetracyanocyclopentadienide bearing a 1,3-dioxane acetal “head” and cyano “hands” and “feet” was synthesized. Its pyridinium salt, which was named NanoGoblin, exhibited catalytic activity in the methanolysis of acetals, as demonstrated by the reaction with NanoKid in methanol-d(4), where the acetal head of NanoKid was converted to a deuterated dimethyl acetal moiety.