Coordination-assembled Molecular Cages with Metal Cluster Nodes

Molecular cages have attracted great attention because of their fascinating topological structures and well-defined functional cavities. These discrete cages were usually fabricated by coordination assembly approach, a process employing directional metal-ligand coordination bonds due to the nature of the divinable coordination geometry and the required lability to encode dynamic equilibrium/error-correction. Compared to these coordination molecular cages with mononulcear metal-nodes, an increasing number of molecular cages featuring dinuclear and then polynuclear metal-cluster nodes have been synthesized. These metal-cluster-based coordination cages (MCCCs) combine the merits of both metal clusters and the cage structure, and exhibit excellent performances in catalysis, separation, host-guest chemistry and so on. In this review, we highlight the syntheses of MCCCs and their potential functions that is donated by the metal-cluster nodes.

Automated summary

Molecular cages with fascinating topological structures and defined functional cavities have attracted great attention. A new type of molecular cages featuring dinuclear and polynuclear metal-cluster nodes, known as MCCCs, have been synthesized. MCCCs combine the advantages of metal clusters and the cage structure, showing excellent performances in catalysis, separation, host-guest chemistry, and more.