Self-Assembly of Nanometer-Sized Macrotricyclic Complexes from Ten Small Component Molecules

Abstract

Nanometer-sized bowls: six metal centers and four tridentate ligands self-assemble in aqueous solution to give the macrotricycle 1, which has approximate dimensions of 3×2×2 nm. Another macrocycle (not shown), obtained with a different ligand, is of similar size and topology but differs considerably from 1 in its host-guest behavior.