Combining dynamic heteroleptic complex formation with constitutional dynamic synthesis: a facile way to M3LL' cage assemblies.

The quantitative preparation of heteroleptic copper(I) complexes arising from a combination of 2,9-diarylphenanthrolines and iminopyridines (Schiff bases) is described. This strategy was applied to construct mono- and binuclear complexes but equally a discrete three-dimensional M(3)LL' cage. By means of a constitutional dynamic synthesis, the heteroleptic aggregates were equally prepared from four-component mixtures using the copper(I) center as a catalyst for the in situ generation of the iminopyridine ligands.