Controlled self-assembly of a giant isohedral triakis tetrahedron

Polyhedra have long appeared throughout art and design for their aesthetic topological features and, more recently, have found versa-tile roles in supramolecular chemistry and organized materials. Non -regular convex tetrahedra with positive augmentations of a regular tetrahedron, for example an isohedral triakis tetrahedron, have rarely been explored in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we report the synthesis of a giant triakis tetrahedron through multi-component self-assembly from four umbrella-shaped hexa-armed organic ter -pyridine ligands and six pre-organized cadmium-containing building blocks. Hexafunctionalized tribenzotriquinacene cavitands serve as the scaffold for the formation of the triakis tetrahedron. The convex vertices derived from rhomboid panels form four trigonal-pyramidal cages based on regular tetrahedral faces. Characterization with multiple types of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, atomic resolution microscopy, and X-ray scattering provide crucial structural information on the triakis tetrahedron. The triakis tetrahedron is applied in the photo-driven degradation of a sulfur mustard mimic. The principles developed herein enhance the possible topological diversity of supramolecular coordination polyhedra.

Automated summary

This article reports the synthesis of a giant triakis tetrahedron through multi-component self-assembly, using four umbrella-shaped hexa-armed organic ter-pyridine ligands and six pre-organized cadmium-containing building blocks. Multiple characterization techniques provide crucial structural information on the triakis tetrahedron. The triakis tetrahedron is applied in the photo-driven degradation of a sulfur mustard mimic, enhancing the possible topological diversity of supramolecular coordination polyhedra.