Fig. 8: Metal-cation-and-solvent-controlled guest release from Hg₅L₂.

a Schematic showing the metal cation-guided guest release from Hg₅L₂ in CDCl₂CDCl₂. b Cartoon representation of the protocol operation for releasing Ad from Ad⊂Hg₅L₂ complexes. Initially, an aqueous solution of AgEDTA was added to Hg₅L₂ in CDCl₂CDCl₂. The bilayer mixture was vigorously stirred at 28 °C. Samples were taken regularly from the mixture and the organic phase was separated and washed with water. The resulting solutions were further stored at 28 °C for 4 h before being characterized by ¹H NMR spectroscopy which gave (c) a series of ¹H NMR spectra (600 MHz, 298 K, CDCl₂CDCl₂) tracking the cage transformation and the guest release over time. The stirring time on the bilayer mixture of Ad⊂Hg₅L₂ and AgEDTA (aq.) is provided in minutes in Fig. 8c.