Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on <i>ortho</i>-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazine

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on ortho-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazin

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on <i>ortho</i>-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazine

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on ortho-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazin

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on <i>ortho</i>-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazine

Coordination-Driven Self-Assembly of a Discrete Molecular Cage and an Infinite Chain of Coordination Cages Based on ortho-Linked Oxacalix[2]benzene[2]pyrazine and Oxacalix[2]arene[2]pyrazin

Facile Fabrication of Starch-Based Microrods by Shear-Assisted Antisolvent-Induced Nanoprecipitation and Solidification

Rod-like particles have attracted increasing attention because of their unique shape-dependent properties, which enable their superior performance compared to their isotropic counterparts. Thus, rod-like particles have potential applications in many fields, especially in biomedicine. However, the fabrication of uniform rod-like particles is challenging because of the principle of interfacial energy minimization. Herein, we present a facile, rapid, and cost-effective strategy for preparing starch-based microrods with tunable aspect ratios via shear-assisted antisolvent-induced nanoprecipitation and solidification. The preformed spherical particles swollen by the mixed solvent were elongated by the shear force and solidified in rod-like shape by antisolvent induction. The resulting starch-based microrods can encapsulate hydrophobic active substances and be modified with functional groups, indicating their potential applications as drug carriers and biologically active materials. The formation mechanism of the starch-based microrods discovered in this study provides a new perspective on the fabrication of rod-like polymer particles

A Trigonal Prismatic Ligand in the Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of One- and Two-Dimensional Metallosupramolecular Polymers

A novel trispyrazine-pillared prismatic bicycooxacalixaromatic ligand <b>L</b> is synthesized, and its application in metal-mediated self-assembly is described. Under self-assembly conditions, single chain, double-stranded cross-linked coordination polymer and two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymeric networks were formed via <b>M</b>-<b>L</b> (Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) coordinative interactions. Structural analyses revealed that the antiparallelly arranged one-dimensional coordination polymers (Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺) are arranged to generate well-defined voids to host aromatic guests (benzene) via C–H···π and π···π interactions, while the double-stranded cross-linked coordination polymer (Ag⁺) contains a rhomboidal [<b>Ag</b>_<b>2</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>2</b>] (<b>L</b>^<b>3</b>: tridentate ligand) cage motif to include a benzene guest; the “thicker” (thickness: <i>ac</i> 5 Å) 2D coordination polymeric networks (Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺), however, are all formed by connection of one or two kinds of topologically different metallomacrocyclic cage units. These unique metallomacrocyclic cage units in the 2D coordination polymeric networks are capable of hosting different guest species. For instance, the rhomboidal [<b>M</b>_<b>2</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>2</b>] (M = Ag⁺, Cu²⁺) cage units were found to host a benzene or a nitrate anion; a hexahedral [<b>M</b>_<b>3</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>3</b>] (M = Ag⁺) cage was found to host a ligand <b>L</b> or a DMF molecule; the hexahedral [<b>M</b>_<b>4</b>(<b>L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>4</b>] (M = Cu²⁺) cage was found to host four solvent molecules of benzene; and the rectangular [<b>M</b>_<b>3</b>(<b>L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>3</b>] (M = Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺) cage units, however, were found to host two THF molecules. The results highlight the potential of ligand <b>L</b> for applications in the construction of “thicker” 2D coordination polymeric networks with well-defined metallomacrocyclic cage units capable of hosting various guest species

A Trigonal Prismatic Ligand in the Metal-Mediated Self-Assembly of One- and Two-Dimensional Metallosupramolecular Polymers

A novel trispyrazine-pillared prismatic bicycooxacalixaromatic ligand <b>L</b> is synthesized, and its application in metal-mediated self-assembly is described. Under self-assembly conditions, single chain, double-stranded cross-linked coordination polymer and two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymeric networks were formed via <b>M</b>-<b>L</b> (Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) coordinative interactions. Structural analyses revealed that the antiparallelly arranged one-dimensional coordination polymers (Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺) are arranged to generate well-defined voids to host aromatic guests (benzene) via C–H···π and π···π interactions, while the double-stranded cross-linked coordination polymer (Ag⁺) contains a rhomboidal [<b>Ag</b>_<b>2</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>2</b>] (<b>L</b>^<b>3</b>: tridentate ligand) cage motif to include a benzene guest; the “thicker” (thickness: <i>ac</i> 5 Å) 2D coordination polymeric networks (Ag⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺), however, are all formed by connection of one or two kinds of topologically different metallomacrocyclic cage units. These unique metallomacrocyclic cage units in the 2D coordination polymeric networks are capable of hosting different guest species. For instance, the rhomboidal [<b>M</b>_<b>2</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>2</b>] (M = Ag⁺, Cu²⁺) cage units were found to host a benzene or a nitrate anion; a hexahedral [<b>M</b>_<b>3</b><b>(L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>3</b>] (M = Ag⁺) cage was found to host a ligand <b>L</b> or a DMF molecule; the hexahedral [<b>M</b>_<b>4</b>(<b>L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>4</b>] (M = Cu²⁺) cage was found to host four solvent molecules of benzene; and the rectangular [<b>M</b>_<b>3</b>(<b>L</b>^<b>3</b><b>)</b>_<b>3</b>] (M = Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺) cage units, however, were found to host two THF molecules. The results highlight the potential of ligand <b>L</b> for applications in the construction of “thicker” 2D coordination polymeric networks with well-defined metallomacrocyclic cage units capable of hosting various guest species