Self-Assembly of a Molecular Floral Lace with One-Dimensional Channels and Inclusion of Glucose

A three-dimensional network with one-dimensional channels (see picture) has been self-assembled from the nickel(II ) complex of cyclam and 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate in water through hydrogen-bond formation. The channels have an appropriate diameter (10.3 Å) to include D -glucose with a formation constant of K_f=(1.38±0.01)×10⁴ M ⁻¹. Under similar conditions maltose is not included.