Cage-by-cage supramolecular polymerization via panel-decorated triphenylphosphine organic cage.

Significant efforts have been dedicated to designing porous organic cage compounds with geometric complexity and topological diversity. However, the use of these cage molecules as premade building units for constructing infinite cage-based superstructures remains unexplored. Here, we report the use of a panel-decorated phosphine organic cage as a special monomer to achieve supramolecular polymerization, resulting in cage-by-cage noncovalent polymers through the synergy of metal-coordination and intercage-dimerization.

Intercage Polymerization of Postfunctionalized Phosphine Organic Prisms into Cage-Based Assemblies with Tunable Morphologies.

Great effort has been dedicated to the engineering of porous organic cages (POCs) in geometry and topology. Yet, harnessing these cage-like entities as premade building units to construct infinite cage-based superstructures remains elusive. In this study, we design a type of vertex-modified phosphine organic prism by a postfunctionalized approach and use it as a ditopic cage monomer to achieve an intercage supramolecular polymerization via the synergy of metal coordination and π-π dimerization.

Gas-Responsive and Gas-Releasing Polymer Assemblies.

In order to explore the unique physiological roles of gas signaling molecules and gasotransmitters in vivo, chemists have engineered a variety of gas-responsive polymers that can monitor their changes in cellular milieu, and gas-releasing polymers that can orchestrate the release of gases. These have advanced their potential applications in the field of bio-imaging, nanodelivery, and theranostics. Since these polymers are of different chain structures and properties, the morphology of their assemblies will manifest distinct transitions after responding to gas or releasing gas.