Coordination cages in catalysis

Catalysis is an important process across multiple disciplines, and there are still many challenges to be met. Enzymes, nature's catalysts, display impressive efficacy with controlled selectivity and rapid throughput, so attempting to mimic these properties opens up exciting pathways in catalyst research. In recent years, metallo-organic coordination cages have shown promise in exploring these avenues. Their unique structures and modifiable properties present opportunities not available to traditional catalysts. This mini-review provides a general introduction to the field, then attempts to extract effects ascribed to interior versus surface or exterior influences, illustrating these with recently published results.