Tris-triazolium Salts as Anion Receptors and as Precursors for the Preparation of Cylinder-like Coordination Cages

The synthesis and characterization of a click chemistry derived tripodal tris-1,2,3-triazolium bearing different counterions are described. The trifluoromethanesulfonate trisazolium salt is used as a receptor for halides and oxoanions, reflecting the formation of 1:1 complexes with binding affinities ranging between 200 and 1200 M-1 in CD3CN. The same tris-1,2,3-triazolium cation was used as precursor of a 1,2,3-triazolylidene ligand for the preparation of trinuclear prismatic cages of Ag and Au, via metal-controlled self-assembly.