Metalloligands to material: design strategies and network topologies

Abstract

This highlighted article discusses the design strategies involving the use of metalloligands as molecular building blocks for the construction of supramolecular architectures. In a coordination-driven approach, metalloligands are connected via the mediation of secondary metal ions to produce 1D, 2D, and 3D architectures. However, the metalloligands offering hydrogen-bonding-sensitive functional groups participate in the assembly of multi-dimensional networks purely manifested by the weaker yet directional intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Attempts have been made to generalize the design concept by invoking network topologies.