More Encapsulating Ligands from Two Reactants

7 The Three-Dimensional Template Effect, Supramolecular Chemistry and Molecular Topology  

Although we approached this section in terms of kinetically inert metal centres, it is also possible to build such encapsulating ligands about relatively labile metal ions. For example, although the square-planar nickel(n) complex 7.2 may be formed, this can react with an excess of dimethylglyoximedihydrazone and formaldehyde to give the nickel(n) analogue of 7.3. 

A cartoon representation of these capping reactions is presented in Fig. 7-8, and emphasises the formation of the capping groups above and below the metal centre. We can now extend the methodology to reactions involving more than two components, in the same way that we developed structural complexity in Chapter 6. 

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