Inside Cover: A Self-Assembled M8L6 Cubic Cage that Selectively Encapsulates Large Aromatic Guests (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 15/2011)

White Phosphorus Is Air-Stable Within a Self-Assembled Tetrahedral Capsule

Molecular Fire Quencher Cage-shaped molecular assemblies can regulate the reactivity of smaller molecules trapped within them. Mal et al. (p. 1697 ) extend this approach to enable the protection of elemental white phosphorus (P 4 ), a substance that rapidly ignites on contact with oxygen. The tetrahedral cages self-assemble in aqueous solution through coordination of six ligands to four iron ions, and efficiently capture phosphorus from a suspension. The water-soluble host-guest constructs were stable in air for at least 4 months, but released intact P 4 rapidly on displacement by added benzene.

Innentitelbild: A Self-Assembled M8L6 Cubic Cage that Selectively Encapsulates Large Aromatic Guests (Angew. Chem. 15/2011)

A self-assembled M8L6 cubic cage that selectively encapsulates large aromatic guests.

Porphyrins cubed: A series of self-assembled M8L6 cubic cages that enclose a volume in excess of 1300 A3 were synthesized (see scheme). The porphyrinic walls of the cubes provide favorable sites for pnp interactions, leading to selectivity between large and chemically similar aromatic guests: three molecules of coronene are incorporated and the higher fullerenes C70nC84 are selectively bound in the presence of