Template-controlled reactivity: Following nature's way to design and construct metal-organic polyhedra and polygons

We show how a template-controlled reaction performed in the organic solid state can be used to construct a molecule that functions as an organic building unit of both a metal-organic polyhedron and polygon. The template is a small organic molecule that organizes two olefins via hydrogen bonds for a [2+2] photodimerization. The process of utilizing a molecule to build a molecule that is subsequently used for self-assembly is inspired by the general two-step process of template-directed synthesis and self-assembly of Nature that is used to construct large, functional self-assembled structures.