Dynamic combinatorial libraries of disulfide cages in water

[structure: see text] Dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs) containing water-soluble disulfide-linked cages (alongside macrocyclic structures) have been generated and characterized. Unlike most other strategies for generating molecular cages, the structures are held together by covalent bonds, which are formed under thermodynamic control. The diversity of the cages generated opens new possibilities for a generalized combinatorial strategy toward molecular encapsulation.