title: Selective encapsulation and sequential release of guests within a self-sorting mixture of three tetrahedral cages.
abstract: A mixture of two triamines, one diamine, 2-formylpyridine and a Zn(II) salt was found to self-sort, cleanly producing a mixture of three different tetrahedral cages. Each cage bound one of three guests selectively. These guests could be released in a specific sequence following the addition of 4-methoxyaniline, which reacted with the cages, opening each in turn and releasing its guest. The system here described thus behaved in an organized way in three distinct contexts: cage formation, guest encapsulation, and guest release. Such behavior could be used in the context of a more complex system, where released guests serve as signals to other chemical actors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge CB2 1EW (UK) http://www-jrn.ch.cam.ac.uk/
authors.forename: Azucena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Rana A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bilbeisi
authors.forename: Tanya K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Ronson
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zarra
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Woodhead
authors.forename: Jonathan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Nitschke
keywords: anion binding; metal-organic complexes; self-assembly; self-sorting; supramolecular chemistry