Polyaromatic molecular peanuts

Nat Commun. 2017 Jun 28:8:15914. doi: 10.1038/ncomms15914.

Abstract

Mimicking biological structures such as fruits and seeds using molecules and molecular assemblies is a great synthetic challenge. Here we report peanut-shaped nanostructures comprising two fullerene molecules fully surrounded by a dumbbell-like polyaromatic shell. The shell derives from a molecular double capsule composed of four W-shaped polyaromatic ligands and three metal ions. Mixing the double capsule with various fullerenes (that is, C60, C70 and Sc3N@C80) gives rise to the artificial peanuts with lengths of ∼3 nm in quantitative yields through the release of the single metal ion. The rational use of both metal-ligand coordination bonds and aromatic-aromatic π-stacking interactions as orthogonal chemical glue is essential for the facile preparation of the multicomponent, biomimetic nanoarchitectures.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Arachis / chemistry*
  • Fullerenes / chemistry*
  • Metals / chemistry
  • Models, Molecular
  • Nanostructures / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Seeds / chemistry

Substances

  • Fullerenes
  • Metals
  • Plant Extracts