The sharp structural switch of covalent cages mediated by subtle variation of directing groups.

ABSTRACT: It is considered a more formidable task to precisely control the self-assembled products containing purely covalent components, due to a lack of intrinsic templates such as transition metals to suppress entropy loss during self-assembly. Here, we attempt to tackle this challenge by using directing groups. That is, the self-assembly products of condensing a 1:2 mixture of a tetraformyl and a biamine can be precisely controlled by slightly changing the substituent groups in the aldehyde precursor. This is because different directing groups provide hydrogen bonds with different modes to the adjacent imine units, so that the building blocks are endowed with totally different conformations. Each conformation favors the formation of a specific product that is thus produced selectively, including

SUBMITTER: Chen Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10397198 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature