Crystal engineering supported by the [Re₆(μ₃-Se)₈]²⁺ core-containing clusters

Transition metal clusters are a unique class of chemical substances. Their well-defined molecular structures and interesting materials properties (e.g. optical, magnetic, and catalytic) make them unique building blocks in supramolecular construction. In this highlight, our efforts in utilizing site-differentiated cluster complexes of the [Re₆(μ₃-Se)₈]²⁺ core as stereospecific building units for a great variety of crystal-engineered multicluster arrays are summarized. The findings from this research not only establish the superior utility of these novel building blocks for the creation of structurally sophisticated architectures and possibly functional materials, they also and probably more importantly, indicate what promises to be an exciting new direction in cluster chemistry.