Designed post-self-assembly structural and functional modifications of a truncated tetrahedron

摘要

Post-self-assembly modifications of a discrete metal-organic supramolecular structure have been developed. Such modifications allow the properties of the self-assembled supramolecular species to be changed in a simple and efficient manner (>90% yield). Initiated by the application of chemical stimuli, the post-self-assembly modifications described herein result in three distinct changes to the supramolecular system: an individual building-block component change, an overall structural modification, and a functional evolution of a [6 + 4] metal-organic supramolecular structure. The three modifications have been carefully examined by a range of characterization methods including NMR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), pulsed field gradient spin echo (PGSE) NMR measurements, electrochemical analysis, and computational simulations.