KCS

The formation of multinuclear metal complexes can be based on a variety of interactions, both weak and strong, kinetically labile and kinetically inert. Applications for such molecules may be found in at least the solid and liquid states, the form and stability of the complexes depending upon the interactions exploited. The present report deals with multi-metal complexes of three distinct types involving capsule, helicate and grid formation, with illustration of the properties which may be displayed by such materials. Functionalised cage complexes aggregating by hydrophobic interactions, polybipyridine ligands selectively forming helicates, and rigid ditopic ligands generating grids with multiple spin states will be some of the systems described.