Functionalization of Polyamide Cages through Peripheral Postmodification

Polyamide cages are promising receptors in molecular recognition and are potential building blocks of functional materials. Herein, we present a general method to functionalize polyamide cages through peripheral postmodification of brominated polyamide cages, which themselves were able to be synthesized highly efficiently from imine cage precursors through Pinnick oxidation. Suzuki cross-coupling of these brominated cages with aryl boronic acids/esters successfully produced a series of polyamide cages equipped with functional groups, such as hydroxyl, amino, carboxyl, cyano, aldehyde, alkenyl, and solubilizing groups.