Controllable Coordination Self-Assembly Based on Flexible Tripodal Ligands: From Finite Metallocages to Infinite Polycatenanes Step by Step.

This article describes the developments in coordination self-assembly based on flexible tripodal ligands with different metal species. Various finite metallocages such as M3 L2 , M6 L8 , M6 L4 , M4 L4 and different catenanes based on discrete metallocages constructed from flexible tripodal ligands with suitable metal species are presented here. Many M3 L2 metallocages based on ligands L(1) -L(12) and different two-coordinated metal species have been prepared, in which various Ag(I) salts and other metal species that have been protected by suitable groups, such as Zn(OAc)2 , ZnBr2 , and PdBr2 , have been used as effective acceptors. All of the M6 L8 -type metallocages are constructed from ligands L(2) or L(12) -L(20) and different four-coordinated metal species, such as various palladium(II) salts or NiCl2 , and have similar topological structures. Only a few discrete M6 L4 -type metallocages, based on ligands L(21) -L(24) , have been reported, using different strategies such as protecting groups and steric hindrance. All of the M4 L4 -type cages have similar topological structures and are constructed from ligands L(25) -L(29) with multiple donor sites. More intriguing interlocking ensembles constructed from discrete metallocages are also described here in detail, namely, three [2]catenanes based on ligands L(30) -L(32) and four polycatenanes based on ligands L(33) -L(34) .