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Updated: Nov 24, 2025

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Concentration-Dependent Self-Assembly of an Unusually Large Hexameric Hydrogen-Bonded Molecular Cage
Severin Merget1, Lorenzo Catti2, Shani Zev3
1Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Mattenstrasse 24a, 4058, Basel, Switzerland.
Abstract:
The sizes of available self-assembled hydrogen-bond-based supramolecular capsules and cages are rather limited. The largest systems have volumes of approximately 1400-2300 Å3 . Herein, we report a large, hexameric cage based on intermolecular amide-amide dimerization. The unusual structure with openings, reminiscent of covalently linked cages, is held together by 24 hydrogen bonds. With a diameter of 2.3 nm and a cavity volume of ∼2800 Å3 , the assembly is larger than any previously known capsule/cage structure relying exclusively on hydrogen bonds. The self-assembly process in chlorinated, organic solvents was found to be strongly concentration dependent, with the monomeric form prevailing at low concentrations. Additionally, the formation of host-guest complexes with fullerenes (C60 and C70 ) was observed.
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