Anion-encapsulating, discrete prism and extended frusta, from trimetallated triangular macrocycles and linkers.

Reaction of a trinuclear triangular macrocyclic complex Pb 3 L(CF 3 SO 3 ) 6 with bidentate linkers in a ratio of 3 equiv. of linker per 2 equiv. of complex, produces a prismatic structure with 4,4'-dipyridyl, and two unprecedented, extended 3D frustum-like structures with 1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylene and 1,4-di(4-pyridyl)benzene. The cavities of these structures encapsulate triflate anions.