The tendency of 2-pyridones and related heterocycles to form cyclic hydrogen-bonded dimers allows them to be used as sticky sites that induce molecules in which they are incorporated to associate in particular ways. Compound 7, which is constructed from pyridone and pyrimidone subunits linked to a rigid linear acetylenic spacer, incorporates an array of hydrogen-bonding sites designed to favor the formation of a cyclic triplex. &done- ...