Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Isolating Free Carbenes, their Mixed Dimers and Organic Radicals
Published on: April 19, 2019
A butterfly-shaped B ← N open box for gas-phase benzene/cyclohexane separation
Hong-Yu Lin1,2, Hao Zhang3, Yun-Bin Li4
1Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Featured Materials in Biochemical Industry, College of Chemistry and Materials, Ningde Normal University, Fujian 352100, China. jitaohuang@ndnu.edu.cn.
None:
A butterfly-shaped B ← N open molecular box, (TPX)(BMCT)2(PhCl)4, is constructed via a [4 + 2] coordination mode, and the activated form (TPX)(BMCT)2 is obtained after removal of chlorobenzene guests. The two methyl groups on the central benzene ring of the tetradentate pyridine ligand create steric hindrance, forcing the dative B ← N bonds to become nearly parallel and achieving perfect geometric complementarity with the bidentate boronate ester. After activation, the characteristic infrared bands of the open molecular box remain unchanged, confirming its structural integrity. Static gravimetric adsorption experiments show much higher benzene uptake than cyclohexane, and mixed-vapor adsorption followed by 1H NMR further confirms the high selectivity toward benzene. Dynamic breakthrough experiments demonstrate effective separation of benzene/cyclohexane mixtures with good cycling stability. The mechanism originates from the charge polarization effect induced by the dative B ← N bond, creating a strong positive electrostatic potential at the box center complementary to the negative potential of benzene. This is the first B ← N small-molecule structure capable of gas-phase dynamic breakthrough separation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Mass Spectrometry: Cycloalkane Fragmentation
For example, cyclohexane molecular ions have a mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of 84, which tends to produce a stronger signal than linear alkanes like hexane. This stability comes from...
Gas Chromatography: Types of Columns and Stationary Phases
For an analyte to remain on the column for a sufficient amount of time, it must exhibit some level of compatibility (or...
Gas Chromatography: Introduction
In GC, a sample is vaporized and mixed with an inert carrier gas (the mobile phase), which transports it through a column.
Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation
Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS)
A gas chromatograph consists of a long, narrow capillary column with a polysiloxane coating on the inner wall. The coating...
Benzene to 1,4-Cyclohexadiene: Birch Reduction Mechanism

