Thermally-induced atropisomerism promotes metal-organic cage construction

作者：Jiaqi Liang, Shuai Lu, Yang Yang, Yang Yang, Yun‐Jia Shen, Jin-Ku Bai, Xin Sun, Xu‐Lang Chen, Jie Cui, Aijiao Guan, Junfeng Xiang, Xiaopeng Li, Yu‐Dong Yang, Yu-Dong Yang, Yu‐Dong Yang, Han‐Yuan Gong · 发表于：Nature Communications · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1038/s41467-023-43756-4 · 被引用次数：14 · 研究领域：Supramolecular Chemistry and Complexes、Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials、Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Polymers

Abstract Molecular folding regulation with environmental stimuli is critical in living and artificial molecular machine systems. Herein, we described a macrocycle, cyclo[4] (1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene)[4](1,3-(4,6-dimethyl)benzene)(4-pyridine). Under 298 K, it has three stable stiff atropisomers with names as 1 ( C s symmetry), 2 ( C s symmetry), and 3 ( C 4v symmetry). At 393 K, 1 can reversibly transform into 2 , but at 473 K, it can irrevocably transform into 3 . At 338 K, 3 and (PhCN) 2 PdCl 2 complex to produce the metal-organic cage 4 . Only at 338 K does the combination of 1 or 2 and (PhCN) 2 PdCl 2 create a gel-like structure. Heating both gels to 473 K transforms them into 4 . In addition to offering a thermally accelerated method for modifying self-assembled systems using macrocyclic building blocks, this study also has the potential to develop the nanoscale transformation material with a thermal response.