Confinement of a Au-N-heterocyclic carbene in a Pd 6 L 12 metal-organic cage.

A Au(i)-N-heterocyclic-carbene (NHC)-edged Pd 6 L 12 molecular metal-organic cage is assembled from a Au(i)-NHC-based bipyridyl bent ligand and Pd 2+ . The octahedral cage structure is unambiguously established by NMR, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray crystallography. The electrochemical behaviour was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry. The octahedral cage has a central cavity for guest binding, and is capable of encapsulating PF 6 - and BF 4 - anions within the cavity.