1 Centre for the Theory and Application of Catalysis, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, UK.
A metal complex with a micelle-like, core-shell structure adopts higher nuclearity in water than in organic solvents, thereby imitating also the growth of a micelle, but through covalent rather than non-covalent aggregation.