Multicomponent Self-assembly:Spontaneous Formation of a Metallomacrocycle from Two Quinoline Based Linear Ligands and Four Silver(Ⅰ) Nitrates

Using metal ions to control the self-assembly of metallosupramolecules of varying architecture is one of the fascinating developments in supramolecular chemistry[1,2],particularly those concerned with the deliberate construction of molecular aggregates,like helices,rotaxanes,catenanes,knots,cages[3～6] and the crystal engineering of two or three dimensional networks with varied topology and interpenetration[7～10].Coordination bonds have proved themselves to be one of the most useful connectors in supramolecular self-assembly due to their versatile geometrical modes(e.g.linear,trigonal,square plane,tetrahedral,octahedral) in bond formations.By careful design of tailored ligands,various novel supramolecular architectures have been constructed.Recently,angular bi- or tridentate and other polydentate ligands have aroused a special interest,and a variety of molecular squares,boxes and cages[1～14] with internal cavity or void have been reported,in which many nanoscale structures are formed[6,15,16].We have been interested in the construction of metal based supramolecular structures with polydentate ligands[17～20] and herein report a new metallomacrocyclic complex assembled from two linear polydentate ligands and silver(Ⅰ) nitrate.