Control over the synthesis of homovalent and mixed-valence cubic cobalt-imidazolate cages

A series of cubic cobalt-imidazolate cages have been successfully synthesized via subcomponent self-assembly in different solvents under solvothermal conditions. The homovalent Co-II and mixed-valence Co-III,Co-II-imidazolate cages are assembled with control over the mixed solvent ratio of N,N-diethylformamide/ethanol, respectively.