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A high-symmetry coordination cage from 38- or 62-component self-assembly
Xiao-Ping Zhou1, Jie Liu, Shun-Ze Zhan
1Department of Chemistry, Shantou University, Guangdong 515063, PR China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|May 2, 2012
Summary
Chemists created a high-symmetry coordination cage using self-assembly of numerous components. This molecular architecture, formed via dynamic covalent and coordination bonds, can encapsulate guest molecules.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Coordination Chemistry
- Materials Science
Background:
- Constructing complex artificial molecular architectures from numerous subcomponents via self-assembly is a significant challenge in chemistry.
- Achieving high symmetry and yield in these self-assembly processes requires precise control over bond formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a reproducible method for synthesizing a high-symmetry coordination cage using a large number of subcomponents.
- To investigate the self-assembly process involving both dynamic covalent and coordination bonds.
- To demonstrate the encapsulation of guest molecules within the synthesized cage.
Main Methods:
- Solvothermal reaction of 38 components (14 Ni(2+) ions and 24 N-methyl-1-(4-imidazolyl)methanimine ligands).
- Self-assembly of 62 commercially available subcomponents (24 methylamine, 24 4-formylimidazole, and 14 Ni(2+) ions) under mild conditions.
- Utilizing synchronized formation of dynamic covalent and coordination bonds.
Main Results:
- Reproducible formation of a high-symmetry coordination cage with a large number of subcomponents (>50).
- High yield achieved through self-assembly of readily available precursors under mild conditions.
- Successful encapsulation of various guest molecules, including water, methylamine, and methanol, within the cage structure.
Conclusions:
- A robust method for constructing complex, high-symmetry coordination cages via self-assembly has been established.
- The synchronized formation of dynamic covalent and coordination bonds is effective for building intricate molecular architectures.
- The resulting coordination cage demonstrates potential for molecular encapsulation applications.
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