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Updated: Aug 14, 2026
06:40
Synthesis of a Water-soluble Metal–Organic Complex Array
Published on: October 8, 2016
Conformational Adaptivity and Isomerization Pathway Enable Multi-Stimuli-Responsive Assembly and Interconversion of
Cui-Lian Liu1,2, Chongting Ren1, Rens Ham2
1Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
Angewandte Chemie (International Ed. in English)
|August 12, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed adaptive metal-organic cages (MOCs) that can change shape in response to stimuli. This breakthrough enables dynamic supramolecular systems by controlling cage isomerization for structural complexity.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Coordination Chemistry
Background:
- Metal-organic cages (MOCs) are promising for adaptive systems.
- Achieving structural definition alongside flexibility in MOCs is challenging.
- Water-soluble MOCs offer unique application potential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize multi-stimuli-responsive MOCs.
- To investigate the relationship between ligand flexibility and MOC assembly.
- To explore cage isomerization as a mechanism for structural diversity.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of MOCs using adaptive (L2) and rigid (L1) ligands.
- Characterization using single-crystal X-ray diffraction.
- Investigation of stimuli-responsive behavior (temperature, concentration, solvent, guest binding).
Main Results:
- An adaptive ligand (L2) yielded a series of interconverting Pd6(L2)4 and Pd12(L2)8 cages.
- A rigid analogue (L1) formed a single Pd6(L1)4 cage.
- Cage interconversion occurred via isomerization, not stepwise growth, under various stimuli.
Conclusions:
- Ligand conformational adaptivity drives multi-stimuli-responsive MOC assembly.
- Cage isomerization provides an efficient pathway to structural complexity.
- This work establishes a design principle for dynamic supramolecular systems in water.
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