Encapsulation versus Aggregation of Metal-Organic Cages Controlled by Guest Size Variation

The strength and mode of binding (inside vs outside) of bisanionic guest molecules to a cationic, self-assembled metal-organic cage depend on their size and the stoichiometry of the addition.(1) Herein we show that the composition of the solid/liquid phase of a heterogeneous system can be kinetically controlled by the order of the addition of two different guest compounds.