Self sorting, narcissistic

Interestingly, the addition of 4 equiv. of dppp c s-protected Pd(II) complex to a 1 1 mixture of tetrakis(4-pyridylethynyl) and tetrakis(cyanophenyl) cavitand derivatives, 45 and 46, resulted in the kinetically controlled formation of the two homocontainers 47 and 48 (narcissistic self-sorting). However, heating the mixture at 50 °C produced the diagnostic proton signals of the heterocontainer 50. In a different experiment, a 1 1 mixture of pre-assembled homocontainers 47 and 48 was also shown to produce the heterocontainer 50. In this latter case, the thermodynamic equilibrium was reached by heating the mixture at 50 °C for 2 h and produced a [50]/[47] ratio of 1.0 [68]. The heterocontainer 50 was also assembled... 

Frank M, Krause L, Herbst-Irmer R, Stalke D, Clever GH (2014) Narcissistic self-sorting vs. statistic ligand shuffling within a series of phenothiazine-based coordination cages. Dalton Trans 43(11) 4587-4592... 

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