Ligand Conformation Controls Assembly of a Helicate/Mesocate, Heteroleptic [Pd2L2L′2] Cages and a Six-Jagged [Pd6L12] Ring

Molecular building blocks, capable of adopting several strongly deviating conformations, are of particular interest in the development of stimuli-responsive self-assemblies. The pronounced structural flexibility of a short acridone-based bridging ligand, equipped with two monodentate isoquinoline donors, is herein exploited to assemble a surprisingly diverse series of coordination-driven Pd(II) architectures. First, it can form a highly twisted Pd2L4 helicate, transformable into the corresponding mesocate, controlled by temperature, counter anion and choice of solvent. Second, it also allows the formation of heteroleptic cages, either from a mix of ligands with Pd(II) cations or by cage-to-cage transformation from homoleptic assemblies. Here, the acridone-based ligand tolerates counter ligands that carry their donors either in a diverging or converging arrangement, as it can rotate its own coordination sites by 90 degrees and structurally adapt to both situations via shape complementarity. Third, by a near 180 degrees rotation of only one of its arms, the ligand can adopt an S-shape conformation and form an unprecedented C-6h-symmetric Pd6L12 saw-toothed six-membered ring.