Modular self-assembled multiporphyrin cages with tunable shape

Abstract

Three new molecular cages—a trigonal prism (2) and two cubic-shaped boxes of increasing size (3, 4)—featuring as many as 10 porphyrins were obtained in quantitative yields by self-assembly of a single bis-zincporphyrin metallacycle (1) with appropriate polytopic N-linkers: the trigonal planar tpt or the cruciform porphyrins 4′-TPyP and 4′-TPhPyP.