Structural Chemistry of Giant Metal Based Supramolecules

Abstract

The review presents a bird-eye view on the state of research in the field of giant nonbiological discrete metal complexes and ions of nanometer size, which are structurally characterized by means of single-crystal X-ray diffraction, using the crystal structure as a common key feature. The discussion is focused on the main structural features of the metal clusters, the clusters containing compact metal oxide/hydroxide/chalcogenide core, ligand-based metal–organic cages, and supramolecules as well as on the aspects related to the packing of the molecules or ions in the crystal and the methodological aspects of the single-crystal neutron and X-ray diffraction of these compounds.

Metallosupramolecular cages: from design principles and characterisation techniques to applications

“…The self-assembly of large cages 4,30 has gained attention not only for the synthetic challenge but also the potential to encapsulate larger guest molecules, e.g. biomolecules such as proteins.…”

Unlocking the computational design of metal–organic cages

“…There are several reviews that cover the structural diversity and design principles of MOCs. [23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] MOCs are often described using M n L m nomenclature, where M and L are the metal and organic building block(s), respectively, and n and m are their respective stoichiometries. Hay and co-workers developed a similar nomenclature for MOCs 36 that describes a topology defined by the number of vertices, edges and faces.…”

Deprotonation-Induced Phase Transitions in the Self-Assembled Structure of Prochiral Carboxyl Derivatives

“…The self-assembly of molecules on well-defined substrates creates great opportunities for designing and actualizing novel two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures. − Various noncovalent interactions, including hydrogen bonding, − ionic hydrogen bonding, , halogen bonding, − van der Waals interactions, π–π stacking, , and coordinate bonds, − are the driving forces that enable the formation of ordered nanostructures. In particular, double hydrogen bonds between carboxyl groups, which are stronger than single hydrogen bonds, are widely used in the construction of stable supramolecular structures. − The self-assembly of various tricarboxylic acid molecules with inflexible structures has been studied, which often shows the formation of hexagonal networks. − However, conformationally flexible carboxylic acid molecules, which have a 2D chirality when limited to solid surfaces, have rarely been investigated.…”