Buckling cluster-based H-bonded icosahedral capsules and their propagation to a robust zeolite-like supramolecular framework.

Hydrogen-bonded assembly of multiple components into well-defined icosahedral capsules akin to virus capsids has been elusive. In parallel, constructing robust zeolitic-like cluster-based supramolecular frameworks (CSFs) without any coordination covalent bonding linkages remains challenging. Herein, we report a cluster-based pseudoicosahedral H-bonded capsule Cu, which is buckled by the self-organization of judiciously designed constituent copper clusters and anions.