Hierarchical, Template‐Controlled Self‐Assembly of Two Different Organometallic Capsules from a Tetrakisimidazolium Salt
Controlling the assembly of molecular nanocapsules through metal-carbon bonds constitutes a major challenge in the field of supramolecular organometallic chemistry. Here, we demonstrate the construction of two nanosized dodecanuclear organometallic capsules, [{Ag(CH<sub>3</sub>CN)<sub>4</sub>(BF<sub>4</sub>)<sub>8</sub>}⊂Ag<sub>12</sub>(1)<sub>6</sub>](BF<sub>4</sub>)<sub>5</sub> and [(CF<sub>3</sub>SO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>8</sub>⊂Ag<sub>12</sub>(1)<sub>6</sub>](CF<sub>3</sub>SO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub> from the calix[4]resorcinarene-based tetrakisimidazolium salts H<sub>4</sub>-1(X)<sub>4</sub> and Ag<sup>I</sup> ions employing the metal-carbene directed self-assembly and hierarchical template strategies. An [Ag(CH<sub>3</sub>CH)<sub>4</sub>(BF<sub>4</sub>)<sub>8</sub>]<sup>7-</sup> anion or eight triflate anions served as templates. The dodecanuclear capsules are the largest poly-NHC-derived assemblies known so far. Salt H<sub>4</sub>-1(SbF<sub>6</sub>)<sub>4</sub> reacts with Ag<sub>2</sub>O to give the tetranuclear assembly [(SbF<sub>6</sub>)⊂Ag<sub>4</sub>(1)<sub>2</sub>](SbF<sub>6</sub>)<sub>3</sub> featuring an encapsulated SbF<sub>6</sub> <sup>-</sup> anion. Transmetalation of the tetra-NHC ligands from silver to gold yielded in all cases tetranuclear assemblies of type [Au<sub>4</sub>(1)<sub>2</sub>]X<sub>4</sub>.
Authors
- Ying‐Feng Han (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9829-4670)
- Guozan Yuan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0074-1274)
- F. Ekkehardt Hahn (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2807-7232)
- Yang Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6042-1259)
- Le Zhang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0634-3306)
- Xue‐Ting Chang
Institutions
- Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (CN)
- University of Münster (DE)
- Northwest University (CN)
- Zero to Three (US)
- Anhui University of Technology (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Angewandte Chemie International Edition
- Published
- 2025-11-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202520814
- Citations
- 3
- Primary Topic
- Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.81
Funders
- Salt Science Research Foundation
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- Dalian University of Technology
- Northwest University
- Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences