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Stellated polyhedral assembly of a topologically complicated Pd4L4 ‘Solomon cube’

Nature Chemistry volume 1, pages 212–216 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Metallosupramolecular chemistry relies on self-assembly processes in which complicated species form through labile dative-covalent interactions. Two remarkable areas of this chemistry are the synthesis of topologically complicated threaded assemblies and of three-dimensional (3D) polyhedral assemblies. Very few polyhedral 3D metallosupramolecular assemblies show threaded motifs within them. Here we report an example of a new type of threaded 3D metallosupramolecular assembly built from four organic ligands and four palladium ions, a Pd4L4 so-called ‘Solomon's cube’ in which interweaving and twisting of the ligands form both Solomon's links and figure-of-eight ring motifs. In the solid state, six of these Pd4L4 tetramers assemble into a hollow spheroid that closely resembles a stellated truncated hexahedron.

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Figure 1: The (Pd4(1)4(NO3)2(H2O)2)6+ tetramer from the crystal structure of (Pd4(1)4(NO3)2(H2O)2)·6(NO3)·n(DMSO) (2).
Figure 2: Topological aspects of the ‘Solomon's cube’ of (Pd4(1)4(NO3)2(H2O)2)6+.
Figure 3: The stellated nature of the secondary solid-state assembly within complex 2.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the EPSRC for funding this research, STFC Daresbury laboratory for access to microdiffraction facilities and I. Blakeley for microanalysis.

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Author notes

  1. Pierre J. Rizkallah

    Present address: Present address: School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Academic Avenue, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XN, UK,

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Tanya K. Ronson, Julie Fisher & Michaele J. Hardie

  2. Department of Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH, UK

    Lindsay P. Harding

  3. STFC Daresbury Laboratory, Daresbury, Warrington, WA4 4AD, UK

    Pierre J. Rizkallah & John E. Warren

Authors
  1. Tanya K. Ronson
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Contributions

T.K.R. performed most experiments, interpreted results and co-wrote the paper. J.F. performed and interpreted 2D, diffusion and variable temperature NMR experiments. L.P.H. performed MS experiments. P.J.R. and J.E.W. maintained synchrotron facilities and assisted in data treatment. M.J.H. interpreted the results and wrote the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michaele J. Hardie.

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Crystallographic data for complex 2 (CIF 34 kb)

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Ronson, T., Fisher, J., Harding, L. et al. Stellated polyhedral assembly of a topologically complicated Pd4L4 ‘Solomon cube’. Nature Chem 1, 212–216 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.213

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