Building large, complex, and sophisticated supramolecular structures and cages from simple building blocks remains a challenge. Work in this field is rapidly progressing as their application can be found in fields as varied as molecular storage, separation, delivery, and catalysis. The field is driven by the desire to create ever more complex cages with simple starting materials and in a simple manner — such as self-assembly.
Their supramolecular caged structure formed through four simple steps where the overall solvothermal reaction can be summed up as adding Co(SCN)2, tris(2-benzimidazolylmethyl)amine (abbreviated to ‘L’ for ligand), and H2SO3 in an aqueous solution to CH3CN at 140 °C. This reaction creates purple polyhedral crystals of 3(SO4)23(HSO4)46}•246(CH3CN), which the team characterized with single-crystal X-ray diffraction at a synchrotron.
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