Discrete metal-carboxylate self-assembled cages: Design, synthesis and applications

Discrete metal-carboxylate cage-like materials are an important class of metal-organic polyhedra. The designs of these self-assemblies in terms of their characteristic polygonal shape, surface area, and related properties are functions of metal centers and carboxylate bridging linkers. Thus, several combinations of different metal ions with angular, linear ditopic, or tritopic carboxylic links can be integrated to map these nanoscale materials, as well as the optional functional groups for the ligands. Synthetic protocols based on variations in the solvent, temperature, and pressure can be employed to achieve metal-carboxylate self-organization. These types of discrete polyhedral nanocages with an internal void are materials with a broad spectrum of potential future uses as substrates for extended networks and highly selective gas sorbents in catalysis and biomedical processes. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.