Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Coordination Number and Geometry

Coordination Number and Geometry

For transition metal complexes, the coordination number determines the geometry around the central metal ion. Table 1 compares coordination numbers to molecular geometry. The most common structures of the complexes in coordination compounds are octahedral, tetrahedral, and square planar.

Valence Bond Theory

Valence Bond Theory

Coordination compounds and complexes exhibit different colors, geometries, and magnetic behavior, depending on the metal atom/ion and ligands from which they are composed. In an attempt to explain the bonding and structure of coordination complexes, Linus Pauling proposed the valence bond theory, or VBT, using the concepts of hybridization and the overlapping of the atomic orbitals. According to VBT, the central metal atom or ion (Lewis acid) hybridizes to provide empty orbitals of suitable...

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

Lattice Centering and Coordination Number

The structure of a crystalline solid, whether a metal or not, is best described by considering its simplest repeating unit, which is referred to as its unit cell. The unit cell consists of lattice points that represent the locations of atoms or ions. The entire structure then consists of this unit cell repeating in three dimensions. The three different types of unit cells present in the cubic lattice are illustrated in Figure 1.
Types of Unit Cells
Imagine taking a large number of identical...

Metallic Solids

Metallic Solids

Metallic solids such as crystals of copper, aluminum, and iron are formed by metal atoms. The structure of metallic crystals is often described as a uniform distribution of atomic nuclei within a “sea” of delocalized electrons. The atoms within such a metallic solid are held together by a unique force known as metallic bonding that gives rise to many useful and varied bulk properties.
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability. Many...

Metal-Ligand Bonds

Metal-Ligand Bonds

The hemoglobin in the blood, the chlorophyll in green plants, vitamin B-12, and the catalyst used in the manufacture of polyethylene all contain coordination compounds. Ions of the metals, especially the transition metals, are likely to form complexes.
In these complexes, transition metals form coordinate covalent bonds, a kind of Lewis acid-base interaction in which both of the electrons in the bond are contributed by a donor (Lewis base) to an electron acceptor (Lewis acid). The Lewis acid in...

Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature

Coordination Compounds and Nomenclature

In most main group element compounds, the valence electrons of the isolated atoms combine to form chemical bonds that satisfy the octet rule. For instance, the four valence electrons of carbon overlap with electrons from four hydrogen atoms to form CH4. The one valence electron leaves sodium and adds to the seven valence electrons of chlorine to form the ionic formula unit NaCl (Figure 1a). Transition metals do not normally bond in this fashion. They primarily form coordinate covalent bonds, a...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Platinum(II) Complexes with Carbene Pincer Chelates for Blue Hyperphosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Diodes.

Inorganic chemistry·2026

Same author

Ligand Design with [CNSbF<sub>5</sub>]<sup>-</sup>: An Ultrastrong π-Accepting Ancillary Ligand for Blue-Shifted MLCT Emission in Re(I) Complexes.

Inorganic chemistry·2026

Same author

Janus-type diiridium complexes with functional carbene cyclometalates for high-energy phosphorescence.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2025

Same author

Modulation of Supramolecular Interaction of Pt(II) Complexes Bearing Carbene Cyclometalate for Color-Tunable Luminescence.

Inorganic chemistry·2025

Same author

Iridium(III) Blue Phosphors with Heteroleptic Carbene Cyclometalates: Isomerization, Emission Tuning, and OLED Fabrications.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2025

Same author

Cyclic Ruthenium(II)-Halocarbon Complexes Derived from Ru(II)-Induced Cyclization of Homopropargylic Halopyridines: Mechanism, Bonding and Reactivity.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 11, 2026

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Published on: May 8, 2015

Dodecanuclear hexagonal-prismatic M12L18 coordination cages by subcomponent self-assembly.

Kiu-Chor Sham¹, Shek-Man Yiu, Hoi-Lun Kwong

¹Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR.

Inorganic Chemistry

|May 9, 2013

Summary

Researchers created dodecanuclear hexagonal-prismatic M12L18 cages using self-assembly. These metal-organic cages, featuring cadmium or manganese, possess large cavities and distinct structural configurations, offering potential for new material applications.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Published on: February 6, 2020

Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles

Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles

Published on: February 4, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 11, 2026

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Self-assembly of Complex Two-dimensional Shapes from Single-stranded DNA Tiles

Published on: May 8, 2015

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Published on: February 6, 2020

Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles

Origami Inspired Self-assembly of Patterned and Reconfigurable Particles

Published on: February 4, 2013

Area of Science:

Supramolecular Chemistry
Coordination Chemistry
Materials Science

Background:

Subcomponent self-assembly is a powerful strategy for constructing complex molecular architectures.
Metal-organic cages (MOCs) offer tunable properties for various applications.
Hexagonal-prismatic cages represent a specific, geometrically defined class of MOCs.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize novel dodecanuclear hexagonal-prismatic M12L18 cages.
To characterize the structural and electronic properties of these MOCs.
To explore the potential of these cages in materials science.

Main Methods:

Subcomponent self-assembly using pyridinecarboxaldehyde, m-xylenediamine, and metal perchlorate salts (Cd(II) or Mn(II)).
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for characterization of the cadmium cage.
X-ray crystallography for detailed structural analysis of the manganese cage.

Main Results:

Successful preparation of dodecanuclear hexagonal-prismatic M12L18 cages with cadmium and manganese.
NMR analysis revealed three distinct ligand environments in the Cd cage.
X-ray crystallography of the Mn cage showed a 1:1 ratio of fac-Δ- and mer-Λ-configured metal centers.
The cage structure possesses a significant internal cavity capable of encapsulating guest anions, such as perchlorates.

Conclusions:

Dodecanuclear hexagonal-prismatic M12L18 cages can be reliably synthesized via subcomponent self-assembly.
The structural diversity, including metal center configurations, highlights the versatility of this MOC system.
The large cavity suggests potential applications in host-guest chemistry and molecular recognition.