Construction and interconversion of anion-coordination-based ('aniono') grids and double helicates modulated by counter-cations.

ABSTRACT: Supramolecular assembly of well-defined discrete architectures has been of great interest due to the tunable properties of these structures in functional materials and bio-mimicking. While metal-coordination-driven assembly has been extensively studied, anion-coordination-driven assembly (ACDA) is just emerging for constructing complex supramolecular structures. Herein two A_2n L _2n (A = anion, L = ligand; n = 1 or 2) 'aniono'-supramolecular assemblies, i.e. double helicates and the first anion grid, have been constructed based on the coordination between phosphate (PO₄ ^3-) anion and a bis-tris(urea) ligand. Moreover, the aniono-grid and double helicate motifs can be readily interconverted under ambient conditions by simply changing the counter-cation. These results redefine the power and scope of ACDA, which may represent a new approach in the assembly of well-defined architectures in parallel with the metal coordination-driven assembly of metallo-supramolecules.

SUBMITTER: Fan X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6598520 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature