title: Polyhedral metal-imidazolate cages: control of self-assembly and cage to cage transformation.
abstract: A series of neutral cubic nickel(II)-imidazolate Ni8L12X4 cages were prepared by rational choices of substituents and anions with solvothermal subcomponent self-assembly technology. Both substituents and halide anions play a critical role in the formation and stabilization of cubic cages. Changing one of the factors in the reaction will switch the final structure to a Ni14L24 rhombic dodecahedral cage. The cubic cage can transform to a large rhombic dodecahedral cage in the presence of methylamine at room temperature accompanied by a color change from purple to light yellow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Research Institute for Biomedical and Advanced Materials, Shantou University , Guangdong 515063, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D007093:Imidazoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008670:Metals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008670:Metals