Selective aqueous anion recognition in an anionic host.

ABSTRACT: Water-soluble Fe₄L₄ ^4- cages can be synthesized in a multicomponent self-assembly process exploiting functionalized trigonal ligands, Fe^II salts, and water-soluble sulfonated formylpyridine components. The cages are soluble in purely aqueous solution and display an overall 4- charge, but are capable of binding suitably sized non-coordinating anions in the host cavity despite their anionic nature. Anions such as PF₆ ^- or AsF₆ ^- occupy the internal cavity, whereas anions that are too small (BF₄ ^-) or too large (NTf₂ ^-) are not encapsulated. The external anionic charge and sterically blocked ligand cores limit the exchange rate of bound anions, as no exchange is

SUBMITTER: Bar Ziv N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11617965 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature