Figure 3

(a) A photo of a single crystal that was used for SC-XRD structure solution of 1. (b) Asymmetric unit content showing the disordered pyridine ring and the included guest nitrobenzene. (c) Assembly of the M12L8 nanocage including the six ordered guest molecules having good electrostatic interactions with the cage. Color code host: Carbon: orange; Nitrogen: blue; Hydrogen: white; Zinc: gray; Iodide: Purple. Color code guest: Carbon: green; Nitrogen: blue; Hydrogen: white; Oxygen: red. (d) View of three M12L8 nanocages linked by the mechanical bond. (e) Expanded view displaying the aromatic-aromatic distance among TPB ligands in the interlocked cages. To show the three different M12L8 nanocages, the Carbon atoms are yellow, green and orange.