Encapsulation of hydrophobic pollutants within a large water-soluble [Fe4L6]4− cage

DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2025.102404

Authors: Jack D. Wright (The University of Manchester) , George F. S. Whitehead (The University of Manchester) , Edward O. Pyzer-Knapp (IBM Research Europe) , Imogen A. Riddell (The University of Manchester)
Co-authored by industrial partner: Yes

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Cell Reports Physical Science , VOL 9

State: Published (Approved)
Published: January 2025
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 31541

Abstract: Hydrophobic molecules lost in water systems can have significant impacts on local ecology. Notably, the discharge of unmetabolized medications, specifically hormones, and hygiene products into effluent wastewater is a pressing environmental challenge. While selective capture of these molecules has been demonstrated by metal-organic cages (MOCs), these studies typically employ an organic solvent system that does not reflect aqueous environmental conditions. In this study, we report a rare, water-soluble, tetrahedral MOC bearing hydrosolvating sulfonate moieties alongside an aromatic naphthyl spacer. The MOC encloses a large (657 Å3) cavity that can bind a range of polycyclic structures in aqueous media. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurements support guest binding being an enthalpically driven hydrophobic binding process. The synthetic strategy employed to prepare the MOC is extensible and thus serves as a promising route to a range of large, water-soluble MOCs containing hydrophobic binding cavities with exciting prospects.

Subject Areas: Environment, Chemistry, Materials


Instruments: I19-Small Molecule Single Crystal Diffraction

Added On: 05/02/2025 11:20

Documents:
1-s2.0-S2666386425000037-main.pdf

Discipline Tags:

Desertification & Pollution Earth Sciences & Environment Physical Chemistry Chemistry Materials Science

Technical Tags:

Diffraction Single Crystal X-ray Diffraction (SXRD)