Size selective self-sorting in coordination-driven self-assembly of finite ensembles

Inorg Chem. 2008 Jun 2;47(11):4706-11. doi: 10.1021/ic800038j. Epub 2008 Apr 23.

Abstract

Size selective self-sorting in the coordination-driven self-assembly of two-dimensional (2-D) polygons and three-dimensional (3-D) cages is presented. Two types of polygons (rectangular and triangular) of different size are formed spontaneously from within mixtures of a molecular "clip" or a 60 degrees organoplatinum acceptor with dipyridyl linkers of different lengths via self-sorting. Furthermore, two different sized 3-D supramolecular cages are formed upon mixing one ditopic organoplatinum acceptor and two different sized tritopic donors from the self-sorting process. The formation of these polygons and cages is characterized using NMR spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). In all cases, the self-sorting process is directed by the size of the donor building blocks and a dynamic, thermodynamically driven self-correction process resulting in the formation of discrete products from complex mixtures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Platinum Compounds / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Platinum Compounds