Modular assembly of metal-organic super-containers incorporating calixarenes
AssigneeSouth Dakota Board of Regents
InventorsZhenqiang Wang, Feng-Rong Dai
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A new strategy to design container molecules is presented. Sulfonylcalix[4]arenes, which are synthetic macrocyclic containers, are used as building blocks that are combined with various metal ions and tricarboxylate ligands to construct metal-organic ‘super-containers’ (MOSCs). These MOSCs possess both endo and exo cavities and thus mimic the structure of viruses. The synthesis of MOSCs is highly modular, robust, and predictable.
Claims11
A method of adjusting container molecule structure, comprising:
- a. providing at least one metal-organic container molecule comprising:
- i. at least one internal cavity;
- ii. at least one external cavity;
- and
- iii. sulfonylcalix[4]arenes linked by metal ions and an organic linker;
- b. substituting the organic linker in the metal-organic container molecule with a dicarboxylate linker to form a metal-organic super-container having an edge-directed octahedral shape, a barrel shape or a cylindrical shape;
- wherein the dicarboxylate linker is 4,4′-methylenedibenzoate.
A method of adjusting container molecule functionality, comprising:
- a. providing at least one metal-organic container molecule comprising:
- i. at least one internal cavity;
- ii. at least one external cavity;
- and
- iii. sulfonylcalix[4]arenes linked by metal ions and a mono-carboxylate organic ligand;
- and
- b. substituting an aromatic dicarboxylate organic linker for the mono-carboxylate organic ligand to form a super-container,
- wherein the aromatic dicarboxylate organic linker is an angular-nonplanar linker 4,4′-methylenedibenzoate.
A method for synthesizing a super-container from a container molecule, comprising:
- a. providing at least one metal-organic container molecule further comprising:
- i. sulfonylcalix[4]arenes;
- ii. at least one metal ion;
- iii. a first organic ligand;
- iv. at least one internal cavity;
- and
- v. at least one external cavity,
- wherein the sulfonylcalix[4]arenes are linked by the at least one metal ion;
- and
- b. replacing the first organic ligand with a dicarboxylate linker to form a super-container,
- wherein the dicarboxylate linker is 4,4′-methylenedibenzoate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.