Thermally-induced atropisomerism promotes metal-organic cage construction
Jiaqi Liang, Shuai Lu, Yang Yang, Yun‐Jia Shen, Jin-Ku Bai, Xin Sun, Xu‐Lang Chen, Jie Cui, Aijiao Guan, Junfeng Xiang, Xiaopeng Li, Heng Wang, Yu‐Dong Yang, Han‐Yuan Gong, Yu‐Dong Yang, Han‐Yuan Gong
Abstract
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.