Porous Metal-Organic Cages Based on Rigid Bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene Type Ligands: Synthesis, Structure, and Gas Uptake Properties.

Three new ligands containing a bicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3,5,6-tetracarboxydiimide unit have been used to assemble lantern-type metal-organic cages with the general formula [Cu L ]. Functionalisation of the backbone of the ligands leads to distinct crystal packing motifs between the three cages, as observed with single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The three cages vary in their gas sorption behaviour, and the capacity of the materials for CO is found to depend on the activation conditions: softer activation conditions lead to superior uptake, and one of the cages displays the highest BET surface area found for lantern-type cages so far.