Fig. 4
The effect of guest molecules on the scrambling of GSAs between the nanocubes (16 and 26). a The encapsulation of hydrophobic guest molecules (TBM: 1,3,5-tribromomesitylene) in 16 or 26 blocked the scrambling. b Anionic guest molecule (PCCP: pentacyanocyclopentadienide) accelerated, retarded, and blocked the scrambling depending on the way of the encapsulation of PCCP in the nanocubes. c A cycle of the transition between the ordered and disordered states coupled with the kinetic lock and unlock of the ordered state by the encapsulation and release of guest molecules (G) in the nanocubes. G indicates two or three molecules of n-hexanes. Three molecules of n-hexanes are encapsulated in 16, while two in 26. The removal of G from the nanocubes was carried out by heating at 100 °C. d A schematic representation of change in the energy landscape of the scrambling of GSAs with hydrophobic guest molecules (G). A mixture of G@16 and 26 is kinetically stable at 25 °C (a) because the encapsulated hydrophobic guest molecules stabilize the nanocube, giving rise to high activation energy of the scrambling. The same effect works in the cases where the scrambling starts from a mixture of 16 and G@26 (a) and from a mixture of G@16 and G@26 (c)
