Effective Encapsulation of C₆₀ by Metal-Organic Frameworks with Polyamide Macrocyclic Linkers

A flexible benzylic amide macrocycle, functionalized with two carboxylic acid groups, was employed as the organic ligand for the preparation of robust copper(II)- and zinc(II)-based metal-organic frameworks. These polymers crystallized in the C2/m space group of the monoclinic crystal system, creating non-interpenetrated channels in one direction with an extraordinary solvent-accessible volume of 46 %. Unlike metal-organic rotaxane frameworks having benzylic amide macrocycles as linkers, the absence of the thread in these novel reticular materials causes a decrease of dimensionality and an improvement of pore size and dynamic guest adaptability. We studied the incorporation of fullerene C₆₀ inside the adjustable pocket generated between two macrocycles connected to the same dinuclear clusters, occupying a remarkable 98 % of the cavities inside the network. The use of these materials as hosts for the selective recognition of different fullerenes was evaluated, mainly encapsulating the smaller size fullerene derivative in several mixtures of C₆₀ and C₇₀ .