Imidazole-based metal-organic cages: Synthesis, structures, and functions

The coordination-driven self-assembly provides a favourable methodology for constructing metal-or-ganic architectures with diverse structures and functions. As a classical five-membered heterocyclic ligand, imidazole is widely used in the construction of metal-organic materials with finitely and infi-nitely structures. In this review, the synthetic methods of imidazole-based metal-organic cages (IMOCs) are introduced and analysed. Subsequently, various type of IMOCs with structure and coordina-tion diversity of imidazole and its polytopic derivatives, including tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, rhom-bic dodecahedron, tetartoid, bicapped square antiprism, prism, etc., have been rationally categorised by using edge-and face-directed self-assembly strategies. Moreover, the functional applications of these IMOCs, including host-guest chemistry, luminescence, magnetism, catalysis, biological effect, and proton conductivity, are also comprehensively summarized. The relationship between structures and properties of IMOCs are elucidated and concluded, which provides some inspiration for designing new metal-or-ganic cages with advanced functions.(c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The review explores the synthetic methods and functional applications of imidazole-based metal-organic cages (IMOCs). Various types of IMOCs with diverse structures and coordination are categorized by using self-assembly strategies. The relationship between the structures and properties of IMOCs is elucidated, providing inspiration for designing new metal-organic cages with advanced functions.