title: Unveiling the transient template in the self-assembly of a molecular oxide nanowheel.
abstract: Self-assembly has proven a powerful means of preparing structurally intricate nanomaterials, but the mechanism is often masked by the common one-pot mixing procedure. We employed a flow system to study the steps underlying assembly of a previously characterized molybdenum oxide wheel 3.6 nanometers in diameter. We observed crystallization of an intermediate structure in which a central {Mo36} cluster appears to template the assembly of the surrounding {Mo150} wheel. The transient nature of the template is demonstrated by its ejection after the wheel is reduced to its final electronic state. The template's role in the self-assembly mechanism is further confirmed by the deliberate addition of the template to the reaction mixture, which greatly accelerates the assembly time of the {Mo150} wheel and increases the yield.
authors.affiliation: WestCHEM, Department of Chemistry, The University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK.
authors.forename: Haralampos N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Miras
authors.forename: Geoffrey J T
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: De-Liang
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bögge
authors.forename: Achim
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Streb
authors.forename: Leroy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cronin