SELF-ASSEMBLY OF 10 MOLECULES INTO NANOMETER-SIZED ORGANIC HOST FRAMEWORKS

Citation
M. Fujita et al., SELF-ASSEMBLY OF 10 MOLECULES INTO NANOMETER-SIZED ORGANIC HOST FRAMEWORKS, Nature, 378(6556), 1995, pp. 469-471
Citations number
19
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Journal title
NatureACNP
ISSN journal
00280836
Volume
378
Issue
6556
Year of publication
1995
Pages
469 - 471
Database
ISI
SICI code
0028-0836(1995)378:6556<469:SO1MIN>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
THE synthesis of hollow, nanometre-scale molecular 'container compound s'(1,2) makes possible the creation of localized chemical micro-enviro nments with properties different from those of the bulk phases; such c ompounds can be used, for example, to encapsulate otherwise unstable m olecular species(3). Container compounds have previously been prepared by conventional chemical synthesis(1,2). Here we report the construct ion of a hollow, roughly spherical supramolecular framework by self-as sembly(4-8). The framework, which is similar to 2-5 nm in diameter, is constructed from ten species: four organic ligands held together by s ix metal ions. It has tetrahedral symmetry, and has a large central vo id, in which guest molecules can be accommodated. We show that four ad amantyl carboxylate ions can be encapsulated within this self-assembli ng cage.